


To Defy Her Ending

by Time_Thief



Series: To See Her Storm's End [4]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Bonds Beyond Time, F/M, Time Travel, but with villains
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:13:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 57,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26785708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Time_Thief/pseuds/Time_Thief
Summary: Rahlin’s ending is unacceptable. In the future, Rain hits rewind to rewrite her miserable fate. Priority one: stop Paradox from collecting the Malefic monsters and reaching Rahlin. Her goal is scrambled when she meets Bakura, who has plenty to tell about Rahlin’s reputation. Rain begins to wonder if reviving the infamous Soul Reaper is the right thing to do. [BBT Fic / UtAT Sequel]
Relationships: Bakura Ryou/Original Female Character(s)
Series: To See Her Storm's End [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1953169
Kudos: 3





	1. A White Reflection

The night sky shifted and splashed. Starfoam clustered at the edges of the clashing waves. The seasky’s brawling waters spat a minor bout of rain. The light sprinkle slithered down the Gilded Gate. Moisture dribbled to the base and soaked into the dirt. The rain shivered on her fingernails as she grasped an impossibly tall bar of the Gate.

In the distance, candlelight within a church perched upon a mountaintop served as a beacon in the night. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from the bright spire. Her thoughts lingered on who would be there, how warm it would be, and if anyone would remember her.

A _crash_ sounded behind her. She spun on her heel in a ready stance, and her white blade materialized in her grip. The area of the Gilded Gate at her back had transformed. Strange. Very strange, because the place was meant to change according to her imagination.

But she had not willed anything into being. The landscape had shifted into a place she had never visited. The rising heights of stadium seating ringed a lengthy patch of green grass. Around the grass, an oval-shaped road was paved.

She padded across the center of the stadium. The utter silence struck her as eerie. The _bang_ earlier seemed to have come from a crater amidst the grass, which must’ve been caused by a massive impact. She peered within. Her heart lodged in her throat.

A girl lay crushed at the center of the crater. Her white hair splayed behind her. Bruises and cuts marred her pale skin. She stumbled within. There were no rises and falls of the girl’s chest.

Shaking fingers touched cold skin. The girl’s pulse was absent. Her hand dropped to her lap. Her breaths were tiny and inconsistent. She managed, “R-Rain?”

Foolish to say her name, she knew. Rain couldn’t answer.

Rain was dead.

Air escaped her lungs. How could this happen? Rain wasn’t even meant to exist in this realm. Was appearing within the Gilded Gate what happened when she- when her fire extinguished?

_Crash_!

She spun around. A second crater appeared. She clambered out of the dip and hurried to the next. The seasky had disappeared for the gathering of storm clouds, which poured rain in buckets. Her bangs clung to her forehead as she approached the second decompression.

Another Rain, her features matching the last, lay dead at the center. She bit her lip to prevent its trembling and it accomplished nothing. Stealing a glance back at the other crater confirmed the existence of both at the same time.

_Crash! Crash! Crash!_

The first decompression appeared in the oval track, the second in the stands, and the third beside the first. Unsteady steps carried her backward. Despite so many Rains existing, there was no movement nor sound.

_Crashcrashcrashcrashcrash-_

She clapped her hands over her ears. Hundreds, nay, _thousands_ of impact points pocked the stadium. Where they overlapped, dead bodies rolled together as though in one final embrace. The spot where she stood remained undisturbed as the crashes destroyed the grass, the pavement, and the stands.

Her knees buckled. She shut her eyes to block it out. The crashes came louder and louder. The sound reminded her too much of broken bones, of cracking skulls, of splitting spines. She screamed. She shrieked and she did not stop. The racking of the screams left her dropping slowly until her forehead touched the grass.

Rough hands gripped her shoulders. She tore away from the touch. The concerned face of Timaeus brought her back to reality. The stadium, the storm, and the dead were gone. A look over her shoulder confirmed the distant church lit by warm firelight.

“What’s the matter, general?” Timaeus asked. “I was a mile away and heard your cries, but I found you here on your knees in ordinary grasslands.”

Her pale, lifted hand shivered as though infected by frostbite. “I s-s-saw Rain. Rain, in a place I’ve never been before, and she was dead, and dead, and dead and dead and dead-”

“Slow down,” Timaeus said. “Take deep breaths, general. Remember: you cannot construct something within the Gilded Gate that does not exist within your memories. Perhaps it was a memory that was locked away. Recall what we discussed two weeks ago when you entered this place.”

“Th-the Domino Incident.”

“The Domino Incident.” The low-pitched rumble of his voice, steady as ever, grounded her. She longed to wrap her arms around him or take his hand or _something_ , but above all, she knew it was not her place. She settled for long gulps and slow intakes of air to restore her reality.

The stirring starfoam in the sky caught her focus. She said, “Two weeks ago, we entered the Gilded Gate. I fell from the seasky after crossing realms. I am in the Spirit World. This place can build landscapes. The vision was nothing; the vision meant nothing.”

“General, do you believe what you saw could connect to the memories you lost?”

Her breaths hitched. She buried her head in her hands. “I hope not. Please, whoever hears me, let it not be. Please don’t let her be dead.”

“Who do you mean?” Timaeus asked.

“Rain.”

His brow furrowed. “You are Rain.”

She shook her head. “We split. We’re two completely different beings.”

“Is your name Rain?”

“No.”

“My sincerest apologies,” Timaeus said. “I’ve been referring to you as the incorrect name this entire time. Who are you, truly? What is your name?”

Dirt smudged her kneecaps. Her arms wrapped around her torso. She found herself staring at the distant church again; she found herself longing to taste freedom. “I don’t remember.”

“Your own name?”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s just, it’s been so long, and I spent all my time alone. I never told anyone my name, so it’s lost now.”

Timaeus stood and brushed off his silky, casual pants. Starfoam illuminated the puffy flesh of his scarred eye. “It aches me to hear of your millennia alone. If you’d like, we could spend more time together. Loneliness is a tragic affliction.”

“I’m not lonely – not anymore. Knowing you’re okay is enough.”

“General. Every time I see you, you’re gazing at the town or the church or the bell tower. You’re hardly ever building and creating. You’re always looking out. Freedom is a wish you may regret making.”

“W-why would you say that?”

The focus of his eye lingered on the church. Its spires nearly touched the seasky. “Within these walls, the strife that so tormented us during our lives on the surface is absent. We do not have to suffer.”

Her thoughts lingered on her sister, on Rain dead and dead and dead. “What about those who _are_ suffering?”

A corner of his mouth tugged upward. “You are noble in life and death. You are a true knight, general, and I believe true knights deserve their peaceful rest. If you are not lonely, I’ll leave you to yourself.”

She longed to beg for him to stay, to keep the nightmares away. Her tongue weighed tons as he walked over the grassy knoll, and the crown of his head disappeared. Her chin lifted.

Lonely she was not, and she would prove it.

A few minutes alone could do no harm. She gazed to the distant church and averted her stare. Timaeus scolded her for looking outside. Attempting to entertain herself within the transformative field should’ve been her goal all along.

Distant _bong_ s showed the passage of time. On the first and second, the grass altered to fine tiles. The third had the area changing into a spiraling staircase. The fourth chased her down. The fifth filled the time she observed the familiar space of her brother’s laboratory, and the sixth marked the moment she realized something was wrong.

The room’s fourth wall, which usually held a running waterway, had vanished. The environment melded into a hallway of pure white. Columns flanked the walkway, which led to a pair of doors larger than life.

Seven, eight, and nine reached her ears muffled as though impossibly far away. Her foot lifted. The beats of her heart were the only sounds in the perfectly silent room. The tenth _bong_ broke the unsettling quiet. She entered the hall of white.

The spongy stone from which the columns were crafted reminded her of carved bone. The eleventh ringing of the bell was smothered by a lovely melody. The dragging of a bow across the strings of a violin drifted from beyond the door.

She grasped the giant handles and pulled them apart. The instrument halted. The ringing of the twelfth hour cut off at the same time. When she glanced back, she saw endless white. Her brother’s lab and the Gilded Gate had vanished. She gulped and walked forward.

A raised dais the height of her chest made up the farther half of the room. A pearl throne rested in the center. The regal seat doubled her size easily. She could not imagine what sovereign would have enough ego to fill out the enormous throne.

Sound broke silence: the popping of a bubble.

The noise dragged her focus down to her feet. Black like oil had puddled from nowhere. The ink-like substance spread. She moved away from the goo to no success. Her legs were rooted in place. She grabbed at her calf and jerked it away. No movement. Panic flooded her senses.

Her reflection caught her eye. The pure black shouldn’t _have_ a reflection, she thought. The puddle didn’t reflect her surroundings – only herself. That person wasn’t hunched or panicking, though.

The reflection displayed a woman in a white suit, and her pose was relaxed and refined. Despite her reliance on a cane, she stood perfectly straight. Her chin was lifted. The woman in white angled her face towards her.

Her eye that wasn’t covered by a white eyepatch lingered on her. A smile curled. Her one eye curved up as though a smile all its own. The sight incited further panic. She yanked her legs away from the woman in white reflected in the black, oily puddle. She grunted and her legs shook with the effort of attempting to move her feet.

The woman in white’s smile kept growing and growing.

A ripple erased her visage. She sighed in relief at the absence of the woman in white.

A claw stained black tore from the ripple and grabbed her calf. She shrieked and attempted to leap away. Her legs remained rooted. The claw’s grip coiled tighter. Hot oil burned her skin. Sound pierced her thoughts.

The pained screams of a dragon reverberated throughout her head. She covered her ears and nothing changed; the torturous roars continued.

The earth rumbled. She sank to her knees in the goo. The claw pulled her in deeper. The draconic arm moved up and gripped her thigh next. She grabbed the forearm and yanked it away from her. Its strength defeated hers.

She screamed as the claw dragged her into the depths of the oily black.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Paradox batted a torch from its sconce. The stick bounced once on the cobblestone and rolled. The fire sizzled into nothing. Paradox breathed in the smoke through his flared nostrils.

What an unprofessional mistake. God would be disappointed in him. What if god was watching him right now? He would shake his head in disappointment – nay, scorn. It was a tragedy that Paradox was chosen to be a last survivor of humanity.

Lucky for him, perhaps, but for the whole of the human race? They’d relied on someone incapable of even trapping the correct monster. He peered at the stolen card: Diabound Kernel. Humph. He may as well gain a Malefic monster for his pool.

Fire’s illumination swayed in the reflection of the diamond he approached. Black and white electricity flowed into the floating prison, which trapped the figure of a girl in a suit. Convulsions of her features expressed her mental anguish.

Paradox set a fist on his hip as he stood outside the glowing ring on the floor.

Why _this_ woman? God sent him specific coordinates and an on-the-dot time to appear in this cavern miles below the ocean’s surface. He also provided documentation to pass to the girl when she awoke, and Paradox was forbidden from reading them.

What had she done to catch god’s eye? What potential could she hold to so drastically alter the course of the future? Where Paradox came from, ninety-nine point nine nine nine nine eight percent of humanity had been eviscerated by genocidal robots.

Was he to believe a single woman could drastically alter that course?

He shook his head. A lavender lock fell over his shoulder. Questioning god was a dangerous route to follow. He studied the objects beneath her electrified diamond: a cane and an Orichalcos pendant. How in god’s name had she been trapped, anyway? What creature could create such a prison, and why was she the target?

The woman with the eyepatch didn’t look anything like a savior to humanity – unlike Paradox, who at least was equipped for the job. She barely looked like a threat to _anything_. Paradox’s god could see the potential in all beings, he supposed.

But… _this_ one?

He raised his face to the stalactites and pressed his fingertip between his eyes. After a harrowing sigh, he said, “If you can hear me, would you tell me why you are trapped here?”

A crackle of flames; a _drip-drop_ of moisture.

Great. Why had he expected any more? He crossed his arms and tapped his fingers on his upper arm. Whomever the girl may have been had no bearing on Paradox fulfilling his directive. That didn’t stop him from being curious.

His number one priority was his mission, and nothing could persuade him. God trusted him with the all-important documents guiding humanity’s fate. Paradox had an opportunity to shift this timeline into one where the genocide never occurred.

The transmutation completed, and he picked up the freshly-created Malefic Diabound. He approached his duel runner, which was parked near a trio of snake carvings.

An amusing thought hit him, and he smiled. To the imprisoned woman, he said, “How fortunate you are to have a time traveler as dedicated as _me_ to tend to your freedom! I’ll be seeing you shortly!”

He checked the coordinates and times for the next required monster and stole into the future.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Sunlight slanted onto her shoulders as she hustled past a fountain and around a clock shop. Her knuckles tap-tapped on a folding door. A second, two passed before the door rolled up.

The red pad on the shoulder of his navy riding jacket slumped against the wall. His hand dashed through his hair, ruffling the black spikes. “Thank God you’re here, Rain. What you said would happen went down at the most inconvenient time possible. I was trying to practice with Crow for his Sector Security entrance exams when the freak showed up.”

He staggered forward. The new fellow filling the doorframe spoke with animated gestures, and his spiked, orange locks bounced with the movements. Crow said, “You shoulda seen him! His hair was kinda incredible, all blond and luscious like a supermodel’s! His runner was twice the size of anybody else’s like the dude had somethin’ to prove if you know what I mean. Yusei here had his Stardust Dragon on the field, and the dude yoinked it in the middle of our duel! _So_ not cool.”

The flashing of a card’s face reflected sunshine. The white border of the Synchro was its usual self, but the artwork was blank. Yusei said, “I was left with this.”

“Ch’yeah, and I didn’t even get to stomp Yusei afterward! The duel just ended after the guy disappeared into a freaky portal!”

“Stomp?” Yusei questioned. “I’d gotten rid of your monsters before that-”

“Anyway,” Crow said, “this means it’s time for you to go, right, Rain? Heh. ‘Time.’ Get it?”

He nudged her with an elbow, passing along a cheeky smile. She couldn’t help but share it. Crow took in her appearance, loosed a shriek, and pointed at her. “You’re wearing her coat!”

Rain held up her palms so they faced the blue sky. The suit coat, white as the clouds, was draped across her shoulders. The passing breeze set the hem to flowing like a cape.

The murmur passing her lips could barely be heard: “To tell the truth, I’m terrified. I’m going to places I’ve never been and meeting people who could be changed forever by my influence. If I screw up, I know exactly how much pain and loneliness she’ll go through. But.”

She pinched the white coat’s lapels together. “As long as I keep this with me, I think of her and how brave she was despite everything. I want to be like her. No matter how many tries it takes, it’ll get done.”

“Resolute,” Yusei said.

“Eh?”

“Unwavering to an extreme degree,” Yusei said. “That’s how I would describe her.”

Rain clasped her hands and peeked at the bright, blue sky. “Rahlin, the Resolute. I like it. You’ve always had a way with words.”

His smile upturned his eyes. Crow said, “Resolute, yeah, but mostly creepy. I get how she was at the end but, like, ninety-eight percent of the time we knew her involved her doing creepy shit. Just sayin!’”

“That’s why Rain has to go,” Yusei said. “For her true self, that fate can be prevented.”

“I… have to go alone, though.” She wrung the silver bracelet around her wrist. A glint caught on its green gem. “Nothing ever goes well when I go alone.”

“You won’t be alone for long,” Yusei assured, “and neither will she.”

“Hell yeah! And when you get back, we’ll throw a party to celebrate!” Crow said.

She grasped the straps of her backpack, her blue eyes wide. “R-really?”

“Really,” they said in unison.

She held her fists in front of her chest, pursed her lips, and nodded. They waved good-byes and sent her off with prayers to Lady Luck. On her way out, the running fountain caught her eye. A tradition of modern-day culture tickled the back of her mind.

Rain pulled out her wallet and dumped every ounce of her change into the fountain’s depths. Her eyes shut as she wished harder than ever for one thing and one thing only.

On shooting stars and penny glints, she wished for Rahlin to have a happy ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of the end n.n Technically, this story is fed into from Apple Tree and Clear Skies, but you don't NEED to read CS since this story is all about the DM world and characters! The timeline of this chapter is before a couple of snapshots in the epilogues (the Bakura and Rain POVs specifically) but you will soon see where those tie in c:


	2. Too Little (Too Late)

His cheek pressed into wet pavement. Rainwater soaked his clothes and kept his long hair clinging to his neck. The knee in his lower back bore down. His teeth remained grit as a hand shoved on the back of his neck again. The concrete scraped his cheek.

Flashing red and blue mixed with flickering neon advertisements. The crackling of radios sounded from various police cars and officers. The forcing of his wrists together jerked his shoulders back. A _click_ and the touch of cold steel had him guessing handcuffs. Attempting to move his hands proved him right.

A grip on the collar of his trenchcoat dragged him to his feet. A rough shove in the direction of the swarm of police cars left him staggering. The hold on his collar kept him from falling.

A nearby officer rubbed his potbelly and spoke to a gathered group. “We see it all the time. Young hotshot like him lets all the power and fame get to his head. Once their names fall to obscurity, they lose it.”

“It’s true,” a man wearing a dark top hat and spectacles agreed. “He was showing all the signs. My apologies. It was my responsibility to stop him before it was too late.”

The officer lay a hand on the commenter’s shoulder. “Nonsense. How could you have known what was going on in the boy’s head? We’re lucky to have a key witness such as you on the scene, Mr. Shroud.”

Their conversation left him wishing to be angry. Pain and weariness dulled his feelings. The rainstorm intensified. The water dripping down his face from his sopping bangs reminded him too much of tears, and he longed to swipe them away.

The officer pushed him in the direction of the potbellied sheriff, who said, “We’re taking you in for questioning, boy. You’ll answer in earnest if you know what’s good for you. For the record, there’s plenty of evidence incriminating you as the murderer.”

Oh, the things he wanted to say. Fuck you, namely, or how could anyone with a brain believe he was the culprit? What the arresting officer said came back to him: _“Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.”_

How stupid he’d been had him wanting to bash his skull against the nearest wall. It was a setup from the beginning, and he didn’t catch wind of the obvious signs until it was too late. This duel was Mr. Shroud’s “plan” to restore his name in the Pro Leagues. He trusted Mr. Shroud enough to reinstate him as his manager, but he should’ve guessed Shroud kept a vendetta after being fired.

It _was_ a brutal firing. He had apologized. He’d apologized for a lot of things, but he shouldn’t expect that to fix what he’d done. Being set up as a murder suspect was a harsh counter in his opinion, though.

Mr. Shroud held up a deactivated duel disk and dangled it in front of his nose. At least the cards wouldn’t be damaged thanks to Shroud’s black umbrella. “I’ll hold onto these since you won’t be needing them anymore. A question before you go. What happened to Cyber End Dragon? It’s not tournament legal in its current state.”

His lip twitched.

_“You have the right to remain silent,”_ the arresting officer had said.

He couldn’t. “Your man stole it.”

“Excuse me?” Mr. Shroud said.

“That guy who showed up in the middle of the duel captured my monster, and the art’s been blank since. As the ‘key witness,’ you should know perfectly well what I’m talking about.”

The potbellied sheriff pinned Shroud with an inquisitive stare. Shroud stammered, “Y-yes, of course! The thief! It shall all be included in my testimony!”

He sighed through his nostrils. No use. He’d been fooled, and he had no way out. The sheriff spun his finger as though drawing a circle. “Take the boy downtown. We’ll join you soon after an investigation of the crime scene when the detective arrives.”

The officer detaining him shoved him further towards the cars. The flashing lights blinded him. While blinking, the beats of his heart ached. His steps halted, and his eyelids weighed tons.

“Get a move on!” the officer hollered. He knew the officer was right next to him, but he sounded miles away. A dull pain started up in his left arm. From the handcuffs, he thought, but why was staying awake so difficult all of a sudden?

Ah. Another spell. He’d gotten rid of his Dark deck long ago, but the effects on his heart haunted him still. This was the part when he was supposed to phone the emergency line.

The cops wouldn’t believe him; no, they’d think him trying to worm out of his punishment. Only a matter of counting down the seconds he had left, then…

A gentle grasp warmed his elbow. The heat surged through his arteries, and the beats of his heart strengthened. The seeping away of reality reversed. The black streamed away from his vision, the feeling of water soaking his clothes returned, and his hearing tuned into the roar of the potbellied sheriff.

“What the hell is happening here? You said you had both street entrances cordoned off! Get away from there, girl! It’s unsafe! He’s a murderer, don’tcha know?”

The officer pushing him towards the car had backed away. “I could swear she just- appeared out of thin air!”

His focus followed the hand grasping his elbow up the forearm, its ghostly pale skin marred by dark scars. The girl who’d magically shown up blinked at him. Her white bangs clung to her forehead. The instant their gazes locked, she let go, pressed her fingertips together, and smiled. “Oh, hi! You were swaying a lot there, so I was worried. Are you okay?”

Her touched palms rocked back and forth as though to emulate his movements. Swaying? Him? Right. His spells would do that, which he had to be told by others. His self-awareness vanished in those moments. He peered around at the odd scene. The spectators, mostly policeman, looked on with shocked expressions.

“If you’re a fan,” he said, “this isn’t the best time for a meet and greet.”

Her lower lip poked out. “You didn’t even answer my question. Okay! How about an easier one? Are you Zane Truesdale?”

He squinted at her. “Yes, but like I said-”

“Perfect!” she squealed. Her lips snapped shut. She glanced at the officers, pressed a flat hand to the side of her mouth, and whispered, “Are you really a murderer?”

The officers stirred; the sheriff hollered to drag the girl away. Zane said, “No. You-”

A ring of policeman surrounded them, and her smile dropped. “I would prefer to talk in privacy.”

Her palms separated. A white-hot rectangle blazed between them. The blue of her irises glowed. The pavement quaked. The sound of cracking stone stole his attention. A red pillar built in front of the police cars. Two copies of the crimson monolith took shape in a triangular formation.

Crimson mineral crumbled. Rainwater bounced off white scales. The dragons’ blue eyes shone like the mysterious woman’s. The three dragons born from the scarlet pillars roared in unison. A flush of red along the earth crashed outward from the girl’s feet. The people it touched dropped to the ground limp as the dead.

The white-haired girl crumpled to her knees. The pitter-patter of rain filled the silence as Zane scanned the area. Not a twitch of movement. He dove beside the policeman who’d detained him, fished the handcuff key out of the guy’s pocket, and freed himself.

“Oh, no. My card’s getting all wet.”

His forehead creased as he approached the source of the sound. A spell card lay in front of the girl’s knees. He snatched it up and observed the title: Rage with Eyes of Blue.

“Hey, thanks!” Her chipper tone didn’t fit the situation, he thought. “Um. If you’re worried, they’re not dead. They’ll be passed out for a while, so you’re fine.”

He stuffed the damp card into his pocket. “Who are you?”

“I’m Rain.” Her unmoving form bothered him. Because of her bowed head and long hair, he couldn’t even see her mouth moving. Her fallen hands in her lap didn’t so much as twitch. “Now that we have some time, you could answer my first question!”

He couldn’t remember the first question. He stared at the unconscious police officers and wondered how much trouble he’d be in when they awoke. The girl managed to move her fingers. She said, “Um, are you still there?”

“Yes.”

“I, uh, I was here about Cyber End Dragon.”

“I don’t trade.”

“No, it’s- do you still have it? There’s somebody who’s trying to steal it. Well, not the card, but- it’s complicated.”

The deck. He marched towards the unconscious Mr. Shroud. Blessedly, the umbrella had fallen to where it shielded his duel disk from damage. He tucked the disk into his trenchcoat, wiped his fingers dry, and checked the Extra Deck compartment.

Cyber End Dragon’s artwork was blank. “I was in a middle of a duel when the monster itself was stolen. Is that what you wanted?”

Her fists clenched. “I’m sorry. For your monster and for Rainbow Dragon, I was too late…”

Rainbow Dragon. Zane recalled the too-chipper kid with blue hair; he recalled that upbeat tone erased by harsh, golden eyes. That kid and Zane managed to survive – somehow, someway – but the kid hadn’t been the type to chase spotlights. In fact, his identity was a mystery to the outside world, but this girl knew a card that belonged only to him.

“How do you know about Rainbow Dragon? Have you faced Anderson?”

“Nah.” Her hands clasped, and the muscles of her forearms jolted. Her pink sneakers tapped against the wet pavement. “I’m after the guy in the big duel r- the motorbike who nabbed your monster. He took Rainbow Dragon, too. I’m really sorry.”

The memory of the guy in the half-white, half-black mask was not something Zane wanted to linger on. He’d appeared out of nowhere, sort of like how the officers reacted to this girl.

“Are you and the thief from the same place?”

She lifted her arms up and down as though testing their movement and rolled her shoulders in their sockets. The white suit coat over her shoulders made her chest appear broader than reality. “Mmhm. The future!”

Time travelers? That’d explain the thief’s unexplainable technology and the girl’s advance knowledge. The storm lightened to a drizzle. A haze flooded the ground. Zane said, “You’re trying to stop him.”

“Yeah. When it’s done, your card will come back, so there’s no need to worry!”

She hopped up to her feet and flashed a grin for good measure. Her sickening enthusiasm reminded him too much of his godforsaken school days. At his glare, her smile slackened. She coughed into her fist. It was fake.

The girl held out her left arm. Holographic green haloed her wrist. She scrolled through complex menus, saying, “It was, um, nice meeting you. I think. I’m going now. Best of luck in life.”

“Wait-”

He grasped her shoulder the same time she slapped her hand over her wrist, and bright green swallowed his vision.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Wind buffeted the coat upon Rain’s shoulders. She pinched the collar and stepped towards the roof’s edge. The breeze helped dry the rainwater dripping from her clothes. She bit onto the hair tie on her wrist, held it in her mouth, and squeezed her thick locks.

As she pulled her hair into a ponytail, she observed the sea of urban life below. Sunshine washed over skyscrapers, department stores, and restaurants. Stretches of green marked parks in the city, and a sectioned-off square contained a tall clock – the Domino Park and Domino Square she’d heard about.

Scanning the vast city below kept her curious. Had Rahlin walked those streets? Well, not _walked_ per se, or maybe walking was the correct term to use, or maybe Rahlin hadn’t been there at all. Rain was given very little information on Rahlin’s past. She knew Rahlin was trapped somewhere in Domino and that was all.

If she asked around, would anyone recognize Rahlin’s name? Would the people Rain was sent to warn – Seto Kaiba and Joey Wheeler – know who Rahlin was? Had she met them? What was their relationship like? Did she like the breeze here, and had she visited the parks? Did she have many friends?

Had she been lonely here, too? Judging by how fondly she had spoken of Domino City, it must have held a beloved place in her heart. In that case, could this place be called Rahlin’s home?

Did… she _have_ a home? Rain swore she’d return Rahlin to wherever “home” was to her. She shook her head; she was sort of ashamed to not know what her own sister considered home. Blinking, she patted the top of her head. Something was wrong. Missing.

Rain removed a hat from her back pocket. The pair of bear ears adorning the baseball cap sagged. Her nose crinkled. She smacked water out of the dome, shook out the cap, and pulled it over the crown of her head.

The bracelet on her left wrist captured a drop of the sun in its green gem. If she inputted coordinates correctly, the teleport should have landed her on top of…

“Where _are_ we?”

She spun on her heel, her jaw dropping. That guy from the past, Zane Truesdale, blinked at the roof. Remnants of the storm dripped from his navy hair and black trenchcoat. She said, “H-how are you here?”

“Am I supposed to know the answer to that? You’re the time traveler.”

She clamped her fingers over her pursed lips. This sort of situation was never an issue for the time machine’s creator. Rain’s brows pushed inward as she considered how this was just her luck.

“I’m sorry!” she blurted. “I don’t really know how the thing works! I mean, kind of, but not completely!”

“You mean there’s no way for me to go _back_?”

“There is! Don’t panic!”

Zane stated, “You were panicking.”

Rain threaded her fingers together and dipped her chin. Her cap shadowed her face. “I can take you back. This will sound silly, but I don’t have time for it right now. I’m sorry about the mix up. The guy who stole your Cyber End Dragon will be here next. Reeeeally bad things will happen if he takes the two cards he needs from here.”

The roar of the wind drowned out all else. She grabbed the lip of her hat and ducked away. He didn’t move. Above the wind, he said, “What does being on a roof accomplish?”

“Um.” She wound a strand of hair around her finger. “The roof belongs to-”

“What is it with wastes of space showing up on my roof lately?”

The deep, raspy voice originated from the gentleman who’d appeared beside the stairway exit. A gale whipped the tails of his white trenchcoat and bangs of his clipped, brown hair. He carried a silver briefcase at his side and wore an inactive duel disk on his forearm.

Rain’s doubt on whether her new companion had the capacity to show emotion was wiped away at the sight of his appalled face. Zane stammered, “Th-that’s _Seto Kaiba_.”

“It is? Oh! Hi!” A scowl crossed the newcomer’s expression. Rain said, “I’ve been looking for you to warn you a guy’s trying to steal your card!”

A smirk wiped away his anger. Seto Kaiba grasped his collar and tossed his chin to the side. “He can get in line.”

She pressed a flat hand to the corner of her mouth and muttered to Zane, “You know him, right? Is he always like this?”

“You’re joking. Everybody knows who Seto Kaiba is. This was at his peak, too. He’s got to be in the running for the most powerful man in the world. KaibaCorp has a tight grip on dueling as an industry, and the man himself takes it beyond seriously.”

Rain thought on how she would love to be a part of “everybody” someday.

“I should’ve known,” Kaiba said. He dropped his briefcase, released the clasps, and retrieved a stack of cards. “One albino street rat appearing on my roof’s a bad omen. Two in the same week? Fine. Take your prize for your petty grudge. We’re dueling. When you lose, you never use the Blue-Eyes White Dragons again.”

“Yeesh,” she said, “what does he have against you?”

“He’s obviously talking about you. You must’ve really ticked him off if he’s willing to take time out of his day to duel you.”

“But I’ve never met…” Her eyes widened. “Wait. Did you say I can’t use my Blue-Eyes?”

His skilled hands shuffled his deck within a pair of seconds like a blackjack dealer. The lifted corner of his mouth worsened her nerves. He said, “In this duel? Feel free. It’d be cruel not to let you say good-by.”

She chewed her nails. Zane said, “That’s her wager. What’s yours?”

“The honor of dueling the one and only Seto Kaiba.”

“It’s true what they say about this guy,” Zane said. “Ego so huge it makes the sky a limit. Maybe we can find the thief if we wait here-”

Rain squared her shoulders and threw her left forearm in front of her chest. The Chaos model duel disk extended in a sickle shape. She shouted, “I accept!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter because I want to explain some things this note! First off, I want to make clear the time periods we are working with:
> 
> Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's post-canon (which is why Z-ONE and the Ark Cradle will be referenced)
> 
> Yu-Gi-Oh! GX post-canon (which is why Zane is pretty chill and won't be using CyDarks! I hope you are OK with the way I write him here since it feels like there's not much shown from him after returning from the Spirit World to get the best read on him)
> 
> Yu-Gi-Oh! DM shortly before the Dawn of the Duel/Pharaoh's Memories arc (Technically it would have started by now if not for Paradox stealing Diabound by accident in the UtAT epi - also, to be transparent, that last scene in the UtAT epi hasn't happened yet but you'll know it when you see it! All other epilogue parts are behind us at this point in the story)


	3. We've Met, Haven't We?

Zane had a rough week.

Crazy because it started out good enough, and usually these things did not. There tended to have been a looming sense of doom in the past when new paths were set out before him.

Perhaps it was because the week started out sort of wholesome. His experiences in the Spirit World changed his perspective, and he figured it as good a time as any to make amends. What better place to start than a revolution on the underground circuit? More of them needed help than didn’t.

After his closest friends and family, he started his apologies with Mr. Shroud. The former manager and he had not broken off amicably. In fact, he had come to dread the memory of throwing Shroud out of his car. They met for a drink. Zane’s apology was heartfelt but, because of who he was, it did not come off as so.

In retrospect, the framing for murder all made sense.

Hindsight was twenty-twenty.

Zane couldn’t help but feel drowned in disappointment. He finally took steps to right himself. He tried to own up for the dark times, and the past spat in his face. Only fair, he guessed, but the fact didn’t prevent the freezing of his heart whenever he thought of his inevitable fate once she returned him to his time period.

God. How long did murder sentences last? Twenty years? Forty? It’d be the opposite of traveling back to Seto Kaiba’s prime. What would the world be like when he left jail? Would it be the same as if he showed Seto Kaiba the sorts of combos pros in Zane’s day could manage?

And yet these feelings scattered for his utter dumbstruck at the strange woman’s accepting of Kaiba’s challenge.

“Do you not understand you _gain nothing_?”

“Yes- wait, no! I do!” she countered. She touched the brim of her pink, animal-eared hat as she observed her hand of cards. Zane wondered if her logic in life matched her logic in Duel Monsters. Both players exclaimed:

* * *

**“DUEL START!”**

Rain said, “You challenged me, so I get to go first! I summon Maiden with Eyes of Blue in attack position and end my turn.”

The monster had no attack points, and she had no cards in her backline to support it.

Well, Zane thought, that answered his last-thought question.

Seto Kaiba laughed in her face. “A zero attack monster? After your duel with Yugi, I assumed you at least understood the basics. What a mistake that always will be. My draw! I’ll start with Pot of Greed for an extra card; then I’ll use a card called Bingo Machine Go!!!”

Ping pong balls bounced around a glass sphere. A Blue-Eyes White Dragon’s open maw welcomed one of the three balls. “Kaiba said, “One of my very own inventions I unveil to you. I’ll pick three Blue-Eyes related cards in my deck, and you make a random selection I add to my hand. I say ‘you,’ but like it is with my employees, the machine will do all the work for your replaceable self.”

“Um,” was all she said.

“The three choices!” Kaiba announced. First was a trap: Ultimate Creature of Destruction. The other two were spells by the name of Neutron Blast and Burst Stream of Destruction. The toy Blue-Eyes snapped up a ball. Kaiba said, “Excellent choice!”

Her brows pushed inward. “But I didn’t-”

Kaiba slammed a card onto his disk. “I summon Lord of D. and play Flute of Summoning Dragon! I can special summon two Dragon-types from my hand! What do you think they’ll be?”

The spellcaster wearing armor of bone pressed a draconic horn to his lips. A gentle breath transformed into a deafening war cry. Two monsters burst from Kaiba’s palm. Their ivory scales were blinding, and their sapphire eyes carried a blue deeper than the ocean’s.

The pair of Blue-Eyes White Dragons had 3000 attack each, and Lord of D. had an attack strength of 1200. Zane peered at Rain’s life counter. The full 4000 wasn’t even close to withstanding the onslaught.

And, really, he wasn’t sure what he expected.

Kaiba thrust his arm forward, commanding, “Blue-Eyes White Dragon attacks your worthless Maiden! _White Lightning_!”

As the massive beam of energy approached Rain’s monster, she appeared more in awe than afraid. She murmured, “He makes it sound a lot cooler than I do.”

The attack halted. Rain’s monster dropped to her knees and crossed her arms over her chest. Her long, white hair pooled on the roof. A glow came from the silver locks. The woman opened her eyes. The irises shone a brilliant blue.

A dragon burst from the woman’s crumpled form. Its appearance matched Kaiba’s two legendary monsters. Kaiba shouted, “ _What_?”

“When Maiden with Eyes of Blue is targeted for attack,” Rain explained, “she negates the battle, swaps to defense position, and I have the option of special summoning a Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my hand, deck, or graveyard!”

“Anywhere?” he questioned. The dragon snarled at him. “Whatever. An ability that insane can’t work forever. Blue-Eyes two attacks Maiden with Eyes of Blue!”

The monster couldn’t protect herself a second time. She appeared horrified as White Lightning reduced her to nothing. Oddly, Kaiba appeared traumatized by the monster’s erasure. Zane couldn’t pin what about the white-haired woman in the plain robes could have meant to him.

“Um, are you okay?” Rain said.

“Pity me again and I’ll show you a shortcut to the ground level,” Kaiba spat. “Those idiots and their Egyptian bedtime stories. I’ll bet that other albino street rat drugged me. Hope you weren’t betting on it affecting me. I play Polymerization. The two Blue-Eyes on the field fuse with the one in my hand!”

A trio of white bolts twisted into the sky. They crashed back down as a single monster large as the buildings below. Its 4500 attack dwarfed Rain’s original Blue-Eyes. Kaiba laughed and said, “Try getting over Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon! Turn end!”

Ultimate had one of the highest base attack power amounts in the game. Zane considered what options another Blue-Eyes deck could have. Mutual destruction with another Ultimate? The Blue-Eyes in general had little going for them besides sheer power.

He crossed his arms as he wondered if that was why Kaiba liked them so much.

“My draw,” Rain said. “I summon Master with Eyes of Blue. His summoning lets me add Maiden back to my hand from the graveyard. Now, I’ll use the effect of Sage with Eyes of Blue in my hand. By discarding him and sending Master to the graveyard, I can special summon any Blue-Eyes I want from my deck!”

Zane asked, “Isn’t there only one Blue-Eyes?”

The strange chick tossed a wink his way and said, “Watch and learn! Sage will be special summoning Deep of Blue-Eyes!”

A supernova exploded in the air like a firework. Puffs of electric blue swam through a sea of purple like nebulae. Four metallic wings flapped, scattering the brilliant colors. The silver dragon’s skinny arms and legs floated daintily above Rain.

The mad and beautiful shifts of colors involved in the death of a star wavered in the dragon’s eyes. Sapphires sparkled in its chest, and its claws matched the color. The monster’s 2500 attack and defense weren’t exactly worth the lightshow, though.

“When Deep of Blue-Eyes is Special Summoned, I can add a Ritual Spell or a Polymerization to my hand,” she said.

So that was the game, Zane thought. Big attack numbers butting heads. Rain said, “I’m adding the Ritual Spell known as Chaos Form!”

His brows lifted. He’d never heard of such a spell. Judging by Kaiba’s expression, he hadn’t, either. Rain said, “I’m activating Chaos Form now by sacrificing the 8 levels of my Deep of Blue-Eyes!”

A circle of sharp metal like a mechanical worm’s maw sliced into reality. Violet shot from the ritual and consumed Deep of Blue Eyes. The purple formed a sphere. A wire fell from the collection like an unraveling ball of yarn and traced the outline of an unbelievably large beast.

Electric blue lasers across the rooftop managed to remain visible in the daylight. Violet drained from the new monster, whose many plates and cannons drank in sunshine. The dragon’s massive feet created craters in the roof upon landing. Rain said, “I Ritual Summon Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon!”

Kaiba laughed in her face. “4000 is hardly a challenge.”

As Zane noted Ultimate’s 4500 attack, he realized he hated admitting Kaiba was correct. Rain said, “Not a problem! I’m banishing Deep of Blue-Eyes from my graveyard, which adds 1000 attack strength to all my level 8 or higher monsters this turn! _Deep of Grace_!”

Rings of silver feathers landed as wreaths upon her dragons’ necks. White Dragon increased to 4000 and Chaos MAX to 5000. Choosing the Ritual Spell as a means to get Deep of Blue-Eyes in the grave was an impressive feat, he had to admit.

Rather than impressed by anything, Kaiba appeared furious.

Rain said, “Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon attacks Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon! _Maximum Chaos Burst_!”

The plating merged with the dragon’s scales open-fired. Hundreds of lasers ripped through Kaiba’s three-headed beast. His life points dropped from 4000 to 3500. Rain said, “Now Blue-Eyes White Dragon attacks Lord of D.! _Wh-_ er, uh, _White Lightning_!”

Upon her second attempt at the attack name, she tried lowering her voice and adding a rasp like Kaiba’s.

If she was trying to sound ridiculous, she succeeded. Kaiba took it a much different way. He shouted, “Are you mocking me?”

“N-no!”

His scowl deepened. “Finish your turn so I can finish you.”

She slipped a card into her spell/trap slot face-down and said, “Sure! Yep! Your move!”

Seto Kaiba sliced the top card off his deck, grinned, and jammed the card into his disk. “Monster Reborn returns Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon! Your Ritual Monster is as good as dead. Ultimate Dragon attacks Chaos MAX Dragon! _Neutron Blast_!”

The three heads lurched as though unable to contain their own power. A trio of streams, one blue, one green, and one orange twisted together and ripped through MAX Dragon. The gaping hole in its chest steamed. Rain’s life points fell to 3500, still a solid lead over Kaiba’s 700.

His Fusion monster took a lot of resources to out last time, though. Zane found himself actually interested in what Rain could pull off next. She drew a fourth card for her hand and said, “I’m summoning Maiden with Eyes of Blue. She’s a level 1 tuner, so I’ll be using her for a Synchro Summon!”

“Sync-what?” Kaiba said.

“Are there different methods of summoning in the future?” Zane asked.

“Yep!” She pressed her fingertips together. “Synchro Summoning needs a tuner and non-tuners! You add their levels together to equal whatever Synchro you’re wanting to summon! Mine requires a tuner and any amount of non-tuner Normal monsters as materials! Sooo let’s show ‘em the future! Maiden with Eyes of Blue tunes with Blue-Eyes White Dragon: 1 and 8 for the level 9 Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon!”

The soaring of the white dragon blotted out the sun. The Maiden leapt into the sky alongside it. Three green rings encapsulated the monster. Their details blanked, and the one star within Maiden aligned with the eight stars inside the Blue-Eyes.

Light shot through the portals, and a silver monster crashed downward. Azure-Eyes was more muscular compared to its Normal counterpart, and the black webbing of its wingspan doubled the white dragon’s.

Its wings folded as a black shield towards Kaiba’s field. The monster’s 2500 attack and 3000 defense were inverse of the original white dragon’s. Kaiba snickered. “Cheating in my game for a weak monster.”

“It’s not cheating!” she shouted.

He waved off her comment, his smirk never wavering. “I’ve dealt with your kind before. Whatever you think is an advantage isn’t. I activate Enemy Controller! This changes your fake monster to attack position. Now, I can destroy it with Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!”

The three-beamed attack blazed through, scorching Rain’s life points. At 1500, she still doubled Kaiba’s amount. He nearly crushed the card in his hand. “ _Why_ is that disgrace of a Duel Monsters card still here?”

“When Azure-Eyes is special summoned,” she explained, “the Dragon-types I control can’t be destroyed by anything until the following turn ends.”

Kaiba ground his teeth. “Fine. Fine! You get one more turn, albino street rat. I set a card and pass turn.”

Rain muttered to Zane, “D’you think he’s bluffing?”

“I wouldn’t doubt a thing Seto Kaiba says.”

She nodded. “I draw. At my Standby Phase, Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon special summons any Normal monster in my grave. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon returns!”

“If only you knew how to properly use those dragons,” Kaiba said. “Thankfully you’ll never squander their potential again once this duel is over.”

Nothing happened. The girl’s head was lowered so her cap shadowed her face. Zane said, “Hey. It’s your turn.”

“Maybe he’s right, though,” she said. “Maybe they’d be better off without me.”

“First of all, they’re trading cards, and second of all, _you’re in the lead_.”

She blinked. Rain lifted her disk and observed the life counter. “Oh, yeah.”

It was astounding to him how an individual could be so skilled at the game and so not at everything else.

Rain said, “I play One for One! By discarding a monster, I special summon a level 1 monster from my deck! I choose Priestess with Eyes of Blue! I’ll be using my normal summon for Exploder Dragon. The level 1 tuner Priestess aligns with level 3 Exploder Dragon and level 8 Blue-Eyes White Dragon!”

“Level 12?” Zane said. There were scarce few level 12 monsters, and all were forces to be reckoned with.

Dark red markings formed on Rain’s pale arms. The three rings from earlier were red rather than green, and they formed a pillar toward the sun. The monsters blanked, and fire surged upward in a flame tornado. Her palms touched as though in prayer as she said, “Synchro Summon: Akakiryu of the Sacred Fl-”

“I see I’ve arrived just in time.”

Her palms dropped at the mysterious, metallic voice. Fire died to cinders. Swirls of green and purple marked the arrival of the thief Zane recalled stealing his Cyber End Dragon. The man with the white-and-black mask lifted a blank card from his seat atop his massive, white vehicle. The white rectangle multiplied forward until reaching the Blue-Eyes White Dragon inside the Synchro rings.

Hundreds of Duel Monsters cards cocooned the monster, glowed, and disappeared. The dragon vanished with it. The rest of the holograms for the duel faded as though complete.

Rain shrieked, “Where’d he go?”

The thief chuckled. “Thanks, time traveler! A high-profile man like Seto Kaiba is a difficult mark. You made my job so much easier.”

He revealed the face of the stolen Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Rain’s expression dropped into panic as the thief sped back into his portal. Zane said, “You were _using_ the card you knew he wanted?”

“I thought I could stop him!” she whined. “He’s so fast! Why? My poor dragon…”

Kaiba roared, “What is this nonsense?”

His and Rain’s duel disk displayed the message “NO CONTEST.” Zane had seen it all before. He explained, “The thief ends whatever duel he interrupts when he steals.”

Kaiba huffed. “I’ll have to figure out who to fire over that particular glitch.”

“Shouldn’t it be more important to stop the thief?”

“Please,” he said, “stealing the albino street rat’s Blue-Eyes is a positive if I’ve ever known one.”

Zane glanced to the girl, who appeared on the verge of tears. Zane said, “Maybe we should get out of here.”

Kaiba offered, “You’ll find exits to your north, south, east, and west.”

“Did he just tell us to jump off?” Rain said, her voice higher pitched than usual.

Zane sighed. “The stairs are this way.”

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The alley behind KaibaCorp was lined with dumpsters. Rain sniffled for more reasons than one as she picked her way through the grimy path. She halted, and her feet pointed inward. She buried her head in her hands.

The grumbles of urban life drifted into the alley opening: cars spitting exhaust, hecklers advertising with shouts, and the blowing whistle of an officer directing traffic. The clearing of a throat sounded close by.

Her unfortunate companion said, “What’s the plan now?”

“I just kinda need a minute,” she said, her voice strained. He showed her his back and stared at the dirty bricks on the opposite wall. She chewed her lower lip and squeezed her eyes shut.

Right there. He was _right there_ , and she was too shocked by the loss of her own monster to do anything. Stupid, she thought, so stupid. Rahlin wouldn’t have made a mistake like that.

Rain sighed through her nostrils and rotated her ring around her finger.

Rahlin wouldn’t have given up, either.

Removing the white coat from her shoulders revealed a backpack beneath in the design of a tiny Decoy Dragon. She checked that the white coat remained clean, cast it over her shoulders once again, and said, “Okay. I’m ready to keep going!”

“Where?” he asked without turning away from the opposite wall.

“The thief is after one last person. His name’s Joey Wheeler, and I have an idea where he should be around this time. I messed up during the last duel, but it won’t happen again.” She toed the grime coating the alley. “And, um, sorry again for getting you dragged into all this. Thanks for the help up there anyway. You’re nicer than you seem.”

The scraping of his shoe echoed down the alley as he spread his stance and stared over his shoulder. “What is it I seem like?”

She flinched, stammering, “Uh, um, intimidating, if I had to answer!”

His chin dropped. “Hm.”

She relaxed a note. “Hmm?”

“On the inside, I’ve changed,” he said, “but the outside has no way of showing it.”

“Oh? Changed how?”

“I used to be obsessed with winning to an unhealthy degree like your friend Seto Kaiba. After a…” He squinted. “ _Spiritual_ experience that nearly killed me, I’m more about living life and rebuilding relationships. It’s difficult when I’m ‘intimidating.”

Rain pressed the tips of her fingers together and grinned. “Well that’s great! In that case, you could try smiling more!”

He stared at her for an unnerving several seconds. His lips twitched up, and his eyes widened. His smile kept stretching. It dropped. He asked, “Why do you look so scared?”

A nervous bout of laughter escaped her. “Maybe we could work on it more later.”

“Time better spent learning that new summoning mechanic of yours.”

“We can do that, too!” She grasped the straps of her Decoy Dragon backpack and started towards the busy street. “We’re sorta on a schedule right now!”

He was a step behind. “To find Joey Wheeler, the well-known duelist. Who you know the location of. Somehow.”

“Yes! He should be around the square-”

Rain skidded to a stop.

“Shouldn’t he be flooded by fans?” Zane said. “I figured he’d be at the height of his popularity by now. At least, I assume he had fans judging by how renowned his name became- hey. The crosswalk is up. Time to move.”

Still as a statue, she gazed across the street.

The wave of Zane’s hand in front of her eyes accomplished nothing. He followed her line of sight. Someone across the street was staring back. Rather than her wide-eyed, deer-in-headlights look, the guy thinned his eyes as he watched her.

The mystery man’s gait was long and hurried. He weaved through the foot traffic and halted in front of her. She kept her eyes on his, her grasp light on her backpack straps.

He scanned her up and down. The movement caused a slight jingle in the sparkling golden ring hanging from his neck. The stirring of the wind tossed his and her silver hair to the side.

“We’ve met,” he said, “haven’t we?”


	4. Monochrome

The crosswalk emptied. Vehicles coughed exhaust. Conversations drifted by like the white clouds above. Silence had settled between the two since the question dropped. Rain kept staring but couldn’t recognize him. His dark coat seemed unbefitting of the sunny day unlike his white-and-blue striped shirt. There was the gilded ring at his chest, which had a vague place in her memory.

“Met?” she said. “No, I don’t think we have.”

He hummed and stepped closer. Tall, she thought, a head and a half taller than herself. The depth of the bags underlining his eyes made her wonder if he ever slept. “I seem to have distinct memory of _you_. I must confess, however – not in an accusatory fashion – that I do not recall you walking without assistance.”

For a moment, his odd accent captivated her more than his words did. She blinked once, twice. “Walk- you mean Rahlin. You know her?”

“Yes! Rahlin.” The way he spoke the name suggested it carried a heavy weight. He smiled. “I do owe her my sincerest gratitude. I take it you are not her.”

“She’s my sister!” Rain exclaimed. “Do you know where she is? Do you?”

His blank stare dampened her excitement. Him admitting he had no idea of her location and how she disappeared some weeks ago left her shoulders sagging. He looked Rain over and said, “But.”

“But?”

“There is a way I could find her.”

Stars seemed to sparkle in her irises. “If we could reach her so soon, we wouldn’t have to chase Paradox, and nothing bad would have to happen to her, and-”

“Small issue,” he said. “I recently have had a card stolen from me, and I cannot locate her until the card is returned.”

Rain gulped and asked a question she knew the answer to: “Who stole it?”

“A masked bloke on an impressive vehicle,” he said. “So impressive, in fact, it vanished before my very eyes.”

She tangled her fingers in her hair and resisted the urge to scream. She mumbled, “Back to square one. To find Rahlin, we gotta find Paradox. To find Paradox, we gotta find Joey Wheeler.”

The crosswalk sign shifted from stop to go. She stuffed her first two fingers in her jeans pockets, pouted, and crossed the street. Her new companion had no issues keeping up. He asked, “What does Joey have to do with this?”

“He’s the thief’s next target,” she said. “We corner him when he shows up for Red-Eyes Black Dragon.”

“I see.” He scanned her up and down again. “You’re quite different from Rahlin.”

She stopped, held out her hand, and beamed. “My name’s Rain!”

His grasp was dainty. “Bakura. Charmed, I’m sure.”

“Where are you from? I could listen to you talk all day!”

“A story for another day,” Bakura said. “Do you have an idea of where Joey might be?”

“Domino Square!”

“You’ve stalked him already?”

She balked. “N-no, nothing like that! I’m, uh, me and my friend Zane here are from the future like the thief! That’s how we know!”

From his considerable following distance, Zane said, “Don’t include me.”

Rain coughed into her fist. It was fake. Bakura showed nothing but interest. “Time travel, you say? Where might one have acquired such an ability?”

The thick of the city passed them by: glimmering skyscrapers, high-end fashion through wide windows, and the tantalizing smells of cooked ramen and pork. Rain watched the stride of her reflection alongside her and wondered if Rahlin ever did the same. “Past my time, someone smarter than you could imagine invented it.”

“Invented,” he repeated. “You mean it’s a scientific discovery?”

“Does that surprise you?”

“Call me superstitious, but I always assumed the great feats would be associated with magic.”

She tried to keep eye contact, but his shiny jewelry drew her focus. She swore up and down she’d seen it once a long time ago but couldn’t recall where. Clearing her throat for her own sake, she said, “You knew Rahlin, right? What would you say she was like? I guess I’m mostly wondering why you said she was so different from me.”

The slant of his white eyebrows suggested he had trouble piecing together how to speak his mind. “Rahlin Orichalcum was monochrome. You, Rain, burst with color.”

She peered at her nails, which were painted alternating pastel pink and baby blue. Her sneakers matched the alternating colors. “Huh.”

“I fear you may be taking me too literally,” he said. “She was a guarded and quiet person when it came to her emotions and aspirations. You, on the other hand, make it clear how you are feeling and have told me twice so far your plans in full.”

“I’m guessing…” Rain twiddled her thumbs. “You didn’t know much about her?”

“Me? Heavens, no,” he said. “Someone close to me knew her _very_ well.”

“Ooo! Can I talk to this person?”

“I’m afraid he’s gone on vacation.”

She ruffled her hair beneath her cap and grumbled, “Never lucky.”

A clock tower marking a busy area struck one. Bakura smiled up at the time. “No need to fear. Plenty can tell you of their experiences with Rahlin. Joey Wheeler is a prime example.”

Rain’s brows wriggled. “What d’you-”

“ _Ay_!”

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Joey hadn’t had the best day.

Exam scores were posted. While he hadn’t flunked, he hadn’t exactly aced it, either. Dad would be pissed. He’d spent the last half hour scheming how to hide the truth. Tristan, the scum, got a high score and went to celebrate with the others. His frown soured as he wondered what friends were for.

A rough hand clamped his shoulder. He nearly shouted an obscenity before Duke shushed him and sat beside him. “Don’t make it obvious we’re talking about her but, dude, _she’s back_.”

“Eh?”

“That chick. The soul-stealer?” He jerked his chin over his shoulder. “She’s right there. Right there! I dunno what to do, man. I’m panicking. How’m I gonna get out of here? What if she spots me? Who am I kidding? I’m an eye-catcher! I’m gonna die!”

“Calm down, calm down. S’not like she’s gonna _kill_ ya.”

Joey stroked his chin and, in the process, missed the look of horror Duke directed at him. Joey’d been happy about the soul thief skipping town – though, oddly, Mai mentioned her more than a few times.

The chick with the white hair muttered back and forth with Bakura. Guess them two were still buddy-buddy, Joey figured. The sight of her peeved him. After all she did, she comes waltzing back into Domino?

“Aight.” He tapped the toe of his sneaker against the concrete as he set his duel disk on his forearm. “How ‘bout I make a distraction for ya?”

“ _Not_ a good idea,” Duke said. “Don’t you remember the crazy Seal-”

“I know, I know!” He rounded the clock tower and approached the pair. Far behind, Duke ducked his head. Joey shouted, “ _Ay_!”

The chick flinched. Bakura, though, met his approach with his ever-pleasant smile. “Joey! It’s been ages! How are-”

“Yeah yeah nice to see ya whatever. I’m here to talk to the chick first ‘n’ form roast!”

“Erm,” Bakura said, his smile a touch awkward, “I believe you mean _foremost_ -”

“Listen up.” Joey folded his arms, puffed his chest, and flared his nostrils. Most of the pose he’d stolen from Kaiba, which he would take to his grave. “Dunno why you’re back in _my_ City. Nobody forgot what you did, least of all me! I’m thinkin’ it’s about time somebody showed you why you don’t mess with my friends-”

“ _Oh_!” The girl grinned. It was oddly cheery. “He called you Joey! Does that mean you’re Joey Wheeler?”

He about fell over. “Y’mean ya don’t even _recognize_ me?”

“Sorry! I don’t believe we’ve met.” Her eyes upturned with her smile as she extended her hand. “My name’s Rain!”

Joey cleaned his ear with his pinkie. Nah, that wasn’t right, not one bit. The creepy chick’s name ended with a -tin or something. “Quit tryna confuse me! I’ll make ya think twice before you go after my buds again. We’re dueling!”

The disk on his arm unlatched and activated. Bakura said, “If you were to look a little closer, Joey, I’m sure you’d realize Rain isn’t-”

“Lalala!” he shouted. “I ain’t fallin’ for it!”

“This is fine,” she told Bakura. Wisps of green curled together at her wrist. One of them creepy-looking scythe duel disks materialized. The sound of its activation reminded him of a sword slicing through air. “I accept your challenge!”

A weird-looking dude behind the chick cleared his throat. “You planning on using a Red-Eyes themed deck for this one?”

“N-no!” she said, clearly flustered. “Um, how ‘bout you go first, Joey?”

“I’m _goin_ ’ first!”

**“DUEL START!”**

After his shout, he swiped the top five cards off his deck. “Heh, lucky’s you. I’m using a brand-new deck, and you get to be the first to lose to it!”

A word rode on her exhale: “Cool.”

“You’re not s’posed ta-” He forced his mouth shut and kept the grumble to himself. “I’m using the Ritual Spell, Red-Eyes Transmigration! I’m tributing a coupla monsters to bring out Lord of the Red!”

A flaming silhouette matching Joey’s outline rushed forward. Black scales melted within the bonfire. Dark wings sliced through crimson fire. A man decked out in a Red-Eyes suit clenched his fists and shouted a war cry. His 2400 attack matched Red-Eyes Black Dragon.

“I’ll set a face-down and end my turn! See what yous can do about _that_!” he said, grinning.

“Um. I’m confused,” she relented.

“About what? Ya don’t get Ritual Summons? Do ya even play Duel Monstahs? I saw you play! You’re bluffin’!”

“No, it’s-” She pointed at his duel disk. “Your card. When I look at the info, it’s called ‘Lord of the Red.’”

“That’s what I said, ain’t it?”

“You said, ‘Lord of da Red.’”

Bakura patted her shoulder. “Speaking isn’t his strong suit.”

“Ay!” Joey hollered. “Jus’ play the game!”

“Mkay.” She chewed her lip. “I’ll play Preparation of Rites to add a Ritual Monster to my hand. Normal Summoning Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands lets me add a Ritual spell, too-”

“Hold it!” Joey blurted. “Lord of the Red’s special ability activates! When you use an effect, I get to destroy a monster on the field! Bye-bye, handsy dude!”

Sanju shattered. The chick said, “Least he got the job done.”

“Nyeh?”

“I use the Ritual Spell Sprite’s Blessing!” she announced. “The sacrifice of a level 8 monster in my hand fulfills the requirement!”

A white circle traced itself around her. She clasped her hands together as though in prayer. A shimmer permeated the air within the circle. The shine altered to the seven shades of the rainbow. Their refraction outside her bubble transformed the colorful rays into a white haze. The fog built and birthed a grounded cloud.

A dragon swam among the moisture. Daylight breaking through the haze reflected off gold. Sky-blue scales soared. The trailing of the dragon’s pearl-colored mane and tunic blended with the cloud. The Chinese dragon floated above its master; the gold bands on its neck and hindquarters sparkled. The ensuing roar rang less in intimidation and more in proclaiming, like the clanging of bells proclaiming an emperor’s birth.

“Sauravis, the Ancient and Ascended,” the chick said. That its attack was 2600 left Joey more than a little concerned. The air around the stunning dragon held the Blessing, which stained the sky iridescent. “I’ll be entering my Battle Phase. Sauravis targets Lord of the Red! _Luminosity Tamed_!”

Slants of light built in the beast’s throat and blasted through Joey’s Ritual Monster. He braced himself. His life points dropped to 3800. He blinked and scanned his skin. “Ha! Not a scratch on me! For one of them soul-stealing freaks, you’re pretty weak!”

“Stealing souls?” she asked. Her mouth slowly opened. “Y-you mean with the Seal of Orichalcos? Rahlin did that? Here?”

“Quit playin’ dumb,” he grumbled. “I ain’t ever forgetting you stealing my sister’s soul long as I live!”

She looked to Bakura. His nod was grim. “Rahlin was infamous for leaving tens of people still as the dead.”

Her empty stare landed on her shoelaces. “But she…”

“S’my turn now!” Joey slashed the top card off his deck. “I’m bringing out my pal Gearfried the Red-Eyes Iron Knight! Equipping Lightning Blade to him would usually give him a neat boost, but we’re throwing it away for Gearfried’s ability! I can special summon a Red-Eyes from my grave, which I tributed to Ritual Summon! Say hiyo to the legend himself: _Red-Eyes Black Dragon_!”

The sable dragon roared at the shimmer opposite him. The volcanic gleam in his eyes outshone the Ritual by a mile, Joey figured. The dude with the dark blue hair beside the chick said, “It’s what he’s known for, sure, but it’s not as if it can help. He’s still losing the numbers game.”

“Not for long!” Joey said. “I use my trap: Metalmorph! Buuut the details won’t matter so much. By sending Red-Eyes and Metalmorph to the grave, I’m summoning Red-Eyes Black Metal Dragon from my deck!”

Silver coated the upgraded dragon, which boasted 2800 attack points. “Who’s got the numbers now? Red-Eyes Black Metal brawls wit Sauravis! _Flash Flare Blast_!”

A black-silver beam eviscerated the stupid sparkly dragon. Joey smirked as her life points dropped to equal his. “Not stoppin’ there! Gearfried the Red-Eyes Iron Knight attacks directly! _Hot-Iron Slash_!”

Gearfried was a blur as he crossed the field. His slice rung through the air like the drop of an executioner’s axe. The chick’s LP fell to 2000, a perfect half. His chin lifted, and he pushed his nose with his thumb. “I’m endin’ my turn with some mercy. Top _that_!”

She lifted the top card and hesitated to peek at it. She nodded, saying, “I summon Senju of the Ten Thousand Hands! I can add a Ritual Monster to my hand. Now, I’ll be using the Primal Cry Ritual Spell!”

Shreds of sunshine unveiled a hidden waterfall in a jungle paradise. The soft song of a bird lulled the wilds. She said, “I’m offering Senju and a monster in my hand for this Ritual Summon.”

The torrential waterfall tore apart the pair of monsters. The voracious stream split like a curtain. Brilliant feathers twirled towards the basin below. A pheasant gold as a sunset soared in a spiral. The spreading of its grand wings flapped its pale blue cape behind its flight. She said, “Vennu, Bright Bird of Divinity! Her attack equals your Black Metal Dragon, so I’m pitting the pair against each other!”

“Pffft! All them fancy rituals just ta give me an advantage,” he said as the monsters grappled in the sky. Both collided with the earth and shattered.

“I end my turn.” The crash of a waterfall wet the ground behind her. “Primal Cry’s effect. At my End Phase, I banish the Ritual Spell to revive a Ritual Monster sent there this turn! Vennu returns!”

“Ay! That’s cheating!”

“Playing the game is cheating?” asked the blue-haired dude. The laughter in the question suggested mockery. Joey had difficulties keeping the grumbles to himself this time.

“Aight, whatev! I drew the answer: Red-Eyes Fusion! I’m fusing Gearfried with a Red-Eyes Black Dragon in my deck! Pretty crazy, right?” Black souls swirled and melded. Red-Eyes Black Dragon grew armor over its limbs. The red gems embedded in its silver scythes were reminiscent of a certain warrior. Joey said, “Here’s my world debut! Red-Eyes Slash Dragon!”

Slash Dragon loosed a skyscraper-leveling roar. The chick stammered, “N-no problem! I mean, at least it’ll be another mutual destruction!”

With 2800 attack, she was right.

For now. Joey said, “Slash Dragon attacks Vennu! My monster’s ability equips a Warrior monster in my grave, meanin’ Slash Dragon gets a nice 200-point boost! _Iron Flare Skewer_!”

She gulped. Slash Dragon sliced and diced Vennu into a hefty serving of poultry. Her life dropped to 1800. Joey pumped his fist into the air as she added a second card to her hand for turn.

“Um,” she said, “I reveal Ritual of Destruction. By doing so, I can special summon Impcantation Candoll. Candoll special summons another Impcantation from my deck, like Talismandra!”

The wax of a depressed-looking candle frowned beneath a sinister flame. A sentient root spawned and rubbed its aching temples; the talisman around its neck screeched. The chick said, “When Talismandra is special summoned from my Deck, I get to add a Ritual Monster! I’ll now be using Talismandra and Candoll as sacrifices for my Ritual of Destruction!”

The two monsters melted into a ball of black matter. Chains slivered around the mess, and horns grew. Sapphire torches blazed. The fire raced along the sphere and expanded into a larger and larger silhouette.

Flames scattered from the tall, muscular fiend. His mask resembled a bull’s skull, and the sharp teeth jutting out were trapped in a permanent grin. His spindly, spiky fingers beckoned any and all towards him. The chick declared, “Garlandolf, King of Destruction! His Ritual Summoning destroys all other monsters on the field and increases his attack by 100 points for each destroyed! _Dark Sacrifice Tsunami_!”

Streams of black energy at his back twined together and crashed down in a wave to swallow Slash Dragon. The receding of the dark erased Slash Dragon, but Gearfried stood in his place; dark water dripped from his armor.

“I ain’t done in yet!” Joey said. “When Slash Dragon’s destroyed, I get to special summon monsters equipped to em!”

“Mkay, Garlandolf, destroy Gearfried! _Shadow Incarceration_!”

The dark energy darted beneath the ground and scurried towards the knight. Shades leapt at Gearfried and dragged him into the nether. Joey’s life remained untouched. “Woohoo! I still got a 2000-point lead after all that!”

Bakura offered an apologetic smile. “He, er, doesn’t believe in momentum.”

“It _is_ Duel Monsters,” she said with a shrug. “It’s your turn. Pull off something amazing!”

Joey’s eyebrow twitched. Was she tryna mock him, too? Must’ve been. The soul-stealing chick was usually stone-faced in duels and not talkative. At. All. This was probably her way of not taking him seriously.

She’d regret it. “I’m usin’ Black Stone of Legend’s ability! I can add it back to my hand, and I’ll be summoning it in defense position! I’ll set a face-down, too, and end my turn.”

“A big turn,” the dude with blue hair said. Okay, _he_ was definitely tearing Joey down.

“As long as there’s a mystery card in play, we can’t say for sure if it is or isn’t, right?” she said. Joey was starting to hate her fake support and also doubt the fakeness. No, it had to be fake; no, her sincerity was too strong.

Why was she so different?

“Woah! He’s dueling!”

“Oh, great. The traitor’s here,” Joey murmured. Tristan and Téa joined his sidelines. “Yous can hit the road!”

“Mmm, that’s not very _emphatic_ of you,” Tristan said.

“Shut up, dude! One ‘A’ on an essay doesn’t make you Shakespeare!”

“Definitely doesn’t.” Téa rolled her eyes. “You meant ‘empathetic.’”

The chick on the other side giggled. Tristan pointed at her a couple times. “Woah, woah! She’s back! Rahlin, right? No, wait. You don’t have a cane orrr…”

Rahlin! That was her name. Tristan waved towards the left half of his face. Téa smacked his arm. “You can’t just say that! She definitely looks like Rahlin, though. She’s even with Bakura. Hi, by the way!”

Bakura offered a cheery wave. The chick blinked. She whispered, “You all knew my sister? Wow. She was famous…”

“I wouldn’t call it that,” Bakura said with a chuckle. “This is Rahlin’s twin. Her name is Rain!”

“ _Whaaat_?” Joey and Tristan said in unison. Joey said, “Nah. This’s crazy. That’s way too convenient for her twin to just show up after she goes missing!”

“Convenient?” Téa said. “It makes perfect since, you dunce. She’s gotta be here to find her sister! Is that right, Rain?”

“Yes, that’s exactly right! Do you know where she is?”

“No. No, no, no!” Joey said. “And that’s the problem! She up and disappeared without me getting a crack at her for what she did to my sister, and for-”

He stared at the pavement and spoke through his teeth. “And for leavin’ Mai so sad. They were s’posed to be friends.”

“Awww, look at him being a cute white knight!” Tristan said. Téa smacked him upside the head that time. “Ow! Sorry! Geez!”

“Her friend?” Rain said. “The way she talked made it sound like she didn’t… have any. D’you think- is there any way you could introduce me to her friend? I’m sorry if it’s too much to ask.”

The bashful way she twisted the toe of her sneaker into the pavement infuriated Joey. He knew Téa, the softie, would fall for it, so he shouted: “No way! Unless you take me down in this duel, you ain’t gettin’ anything from us!”

“Joey!” Téa scolded. “A stupid card game isn’t as important as-”

He yelled over her, “A-ta-ta! Yesitisyesitis!”

“That’s fine.” Rain’s voice was low, and her cap shadowed her eyes. “Let’s finish the duel. I activate Return of the Dragon Lords! I can revive a level 7 or 8 Dragon-type from my grave! I know just the one: Sauravis, the Ancient and Ascended!”

The Chinese dragon swam through fresh cloud cover. He peered over the white puffs like a deity observing his subjects. Téa said, “Wow. What a beautiful monster!”

“Isn’t he?” Rain squealed.

“Ay! Focus on the card game, would ya?”

“S-sorry! I attack Black Stone of Legend with Garlandolf, and Sauravis attacks directly!”

The leaping shadows erased his Stone’s existence, and the godlike dragon blasted him with light. He shielded his eyes with his forearm as his life points dropped to 1200 – 600 less than Rain’s.

Tristan whistled. “Like usual, he talks the maddest game with his back to the wall.”

“I been winning this whole time!” Joey countered.

“Suuuuure.”

“He’s right, though,” Rain added. “I only got lucky in the last turn.”

“That luck’s about to run out!” he shouted. Stupid nice girl act wasn’t gonna shake him. “I activate my trap: Red-Eyes Spirit! This’ll bring back my OG! Red-Eyes Black Dragon returns!”

A gentle, rainbow-laced glow spilled through the clouds. Rain opened her mouth to speak. Her eyes widened, and she stuttered back a step.

“Heh.” Joey scanned his own knuckles. “I’d be spooked, too, seein’ my best dragon-”

Wheels screeched. A gigantic motorcycle left scorch marks on their fields. The rider lifted a card towards Joey’s monster. A spherical prison forged of Duel Monsters cards snatched away the one and only, the best dragon, the OG.

Joey’s jaw hit the floor.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

“How nice to meet again!” Paradox said. “You prove to be an excellent ally twice in a day! I’ll be taking my last bow. What you’ve done will change the future forever, valiant time traveler.”

Rain grasped the brim of her hat. Her mouth was a thin line as she lifted her face to meet Paradox’s stare, glee thinning his eyes. The movement of throwing up her arm cast back the coattails of the white suit coat around her shoulders.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

A flood of fog rushed into Domino Square. The spectators froze in place. Sunshine couldn’t break through the mist. The red seconds hand of the clock atop the obelisk was trapped between six and seven.

Paradox paid the change in atmosphere no mind. He tapped data into the control hub upon his runner and hit enter. An angry _beep_ sounded. His runner spun in a three sixty. “The portal. Where’s the portal?”

“Time has stopped,” she said, “which means you cannot transport through space nor time.”

Casting aside his mask, Paradox gazed at where the sun should have shone. The dimness darkened his eye color to gold like his locks. “This is a power of god’s.”

The green gem upon Rain’s bracelet glowed as she held it forward. “Your god Z-ONE entrusted that power to me in hopes I would stop you in time. You don’t know it, but the directive you follow won’t save the future – it’s closer to destroying it.”

Paradox rose from his seat. He was awfully, awfully tall. Upon his slow approach, he said, “You speak as though you are aware of the future. If you know what it holds, time traveler, you must be aware: I will never abandon my directive.”

“Figures you’d be stubborn as Aporia,” she muttered. “And I’ll never let you achieve that directive!”

“Never?” he mused. The swift hastening of his pace caught her off-guard. He captured her wrist in an iron grip and lifted the bracelet to equal his eye level. His stare dropped to hers, which was more than a little afraid. “You have stopped me in time for now, yes. However. Machinery is not infallible.”

He crushed her wrist in his grip. She screamed and wrenched her arm away. His hold was stronger. She whined, “Stopstopstop! It can’t! Z-ONE made it so it can’t be destroyed! Pleaseplease stop trying!”

The loosening of his grip allowed her to open her eyes, and tears sparkled in their corners. Paradox cleared his throat. “Indestructible yes. The technology responds to bioinput. I will find my freedom by making the living cells attached to your time machine deceased flesh instead.”

Her intake of breath was shaky. She eked out: “Eh?”

In the blink of an eye he released her arm and slammed his leg into her midsection. Rain went flying backward as though a train had hit her. She barreled into another person, who grunted. Both tumbled to the pavement. Her arms wrapped around her abdomen, and she rolled back and forth on the ground. Her white coat had fallen beside her.

“Rain?” Zane blinked. “I could swear you were standing over there a second ag- what’s the matter with you?”

Teardrops wet the pavement. “I h-have an injury, and h-he, he hit right on it trying to k-kill me.”

Her hold on herself shivered. Paradox walked towards her. Zane put himself between them. Rain said, “N-no. No, it won’t work. He’s a robot. He’ll just hurt you, too.”

“A _robot_?” Zane said.

Paradox tossed him aside like a child throwing away a stuffed toy. He lifted Rain by her neck, and she clawed at his grip. Her struggle weakened. Zane charged into Paradox. His shoulder bash knocked the robot off his feet. Rain swallowed swift breaths.

Agitation was plain on Paradox’s face. He batted the two away in opposite directions. Rain again impacted with someone else. Their arms wrapped around her on the way down. Metal rang against metal. Bakura scanned her, Paradox, and the atmosphere.

“You can stop time,” he said.

Her hand went to her ribs. She tried to breathe. “It stops him from escaping. But, but he’s trying to kill me. If he does, it stops working.”

Bakura hoisted her up with him, keeping an arm looped around her shoulders to keep her from toppling. “That won’t do.”

Misshapen shadows like tortured souls snaked upwards from the earth. The darkness closed out the white haze. Black drifted through the bleak purple forming a dome around the four moving individuals. Paradox attempted to approach but found an invisible force blocking his path.

“If Rain’s death is your desire,” Bakura said, “you’ll have to win it in a Shadow Game.”

“Um,” Rain said.

The change in lighting stole Paradox’s attention. “And my end of the wager?”

“Diabound,” Bakura answered.

“Cyber End Dragon!” Zane said, hobbling towards the pair. He passed Rain her white coat, which she tied around her waist. The sight of it ignited bravery.

“Agree to return all the cards you stole when you lose,” Rain confirmed, “and you have a deal.”

The lifting of Paradox’s eyebrow caused the scarlet marking upon his face to bounce like a feather. “And, pray tell, what game are we playing?”

“Duel Monsters,” the three said in unison.


	5. To Battle Sin Itself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> before we get started, I wanted to note that I use the anime effects of the Malefic cards!

Wisps of dark purple marked the dome enclosing the trio. Their exclamations had her turning her head. Both Zane and Bakura faced Paradox, their blazing determination clear in their stances.

“Um, you might want to rethink.” She twiddled her thumbs. “When these time travelers attack, it’s more than a card game. Their monsters inflict real damage – enough to kill if the power is high enough.”

“That is the nature of a Shadow Game,” Bakura said.

At the same time, Zane noted, “It’s a usual part of dueling.”

Rain had questions and more. Paradox strode towards his gargantuan motorbike, which was parked far back in his half of the sphere. “If the two humans so wish to attempt vengeance for their petty cardboard rectangles, let them. I’ll erase the three of you from the timeline at once.”

“Y-you don’t have to include them!” Rain shouted. “I mean, I wasn’t planning on having a team.”

“Ah,” Bakura said, “I see.”

He retracted his arm supporting her, and she crumpled. The skin of her knees burned when they scraped the pavement. He added, “Go on, then. I’m excited to see what sort of performance you have awaiting us from down there.”

“Point taken,” she squeaked. “We can be a team! Let’s do it!”

“The terms of this ‘game’ are as follows,” Paradox proclaimed. “You three each may have your own hands and fields. I have a turn for each of yours, however. The three of you share a life point pool of 4000 to equal mine. Also, I can only target for attack the player which acted before me.”

“So he means we manage our own resources?” she said.

“As well as activate our own cards and control our own monsters, meaning I can’t declare an attack with one of your legendary white dragons,” Zane said. “I may have been looking forward to it.”

“Sharing life points?” Bakura said. “Are you daft? Am I meant to rely on the skills of duelists I’ve known less than an hour?”

Zane grunted and tossed his chin to the side. “I’m a pro in the time period I’m from. What can be said of you?”

“I should have to prove myself when I’m the only reason we have a chance at retrieving our cards?”

A drop of sweat formed on Rain’s temple as she held up her flat palms. “I’m sure that, as long as we work together, everything will be fine!”

Like a king to a throne, Paradox ascended to the seat of his vehicle. A swipe on the display left the runner rumbling. The attachments shifted, and air blasted downward. Paradox and his motorbike hovered in the sky. The light from the display beneath him and river of darkness above threw wicked shadows upon his visage.

“A game for the stake of your existence begins.”

* * *

**“DUEL START!”**

Following Paradox’s harsh bellow, he fanned out six cards, grinned, and picked a particular option from the middle of his hand. Paradox revealed the Field Spell’s face. “Malefic World!”

A torrent of violet liquid poured onto the dome. Fuchsia foam washed away the shadows. The venomous water washed past the frozen bystanders and cascaded up the skyscrapers. Windows stained purple and sparkles whizzed through the air like fireflies.

The fog drew Rain’s eye. She murmured, “Again?”

“I send Rainbow Dragon from my deck to the graveyard,” Paradox said. “This meets the condition to special summon Malefic Rainbow Dragon!”

A bubble popped. A pool of inky liquid formed on the ground. The dragon’s body leapt out of the earth. The oily black clung to its scales before moving like a living thing to form the dragon’s wings. Rather than their normal, feathery white, Malefic Rainbow Dragon’s wings were black as night with ivory supporting bones. The gems along the dragon’s body stained the same venomous purple as the fog.

“Set one and pass,” Paradox said, his pride plain on his face.

“Again,” Rain repeated as though confirming to herself. “It’s got 4000 attack!”

“Attack isn’t everything,” Bakura noted.

Zane sighed through his nostrils. “It is. The Kentucky-fried-kid’s four-K beatstick is hardly a challenge in that department. _I’m_ going next. You control a monster and I control none, so I can special summon Cyber Dragon from my hand! Cydra attacks Malefic Rainbow Dragon!”

Paradox chuckled. “Archaic _is_ what I expected. _Spectral Surge_!”

A rainbow blast corrupted by black sparks met Zane’s attack. Steam hissed from Cyber Dragon, and its attack doubled in size. _Tick_ s sounded from his backline. An odometer flicked higher and higher beyond the bounds of possibility. Zane said, “Limiter Removal doubles the attack of my Machines.”

The light beam consumed Malefic Rainbow Dragon’s attack and the monster itself. The attack striking the Shadow Game dome blinded the duelists. The _ding_ s of a life point counter rung out. The end of the battle left Paradox at 3800 LP.

Rain took more pleasure than she cared to admit in Paradox’s smug face degrading into fury. Zane said, “After the Battle Phase, I’ll use Polymerization to fuse Cydra with another in my hand for Cyber Twin Dragon. That ends my turn.”

Two machine snakes intertwined for the split-headed Twin Dragon, who sported 2800 attack. Rain watched his field with stars in her eyes. Bakura, however, shrugged his shoulders. “No flair whatsoever. A true pro would announce his attack names.”

“I don’t do theatrics.”

“Yet he claimed to admire the legendary white dragon,” Paradox mused. “I’ll allow you a glance at its glory. Sending the Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my deck to my graveyard special summons Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon!”

“Hey!” Rain shouted. Inky black dripped off the Malefic’s dark wings. “That’s _my_ dragon!”

Paradox responded with nothing less than glee. “Malefic Blue-Eyes attacks Cyber Twin Dragon! _Burst Stream of Corruption_!”

Black and white lightning ripped through Cyber Twin Dragon. Its mechanical guts spilled oil and sparks; the machine careened and crashed into the pavement. The trio’s life dropped to 3800. The debris of the dying monster flung towards Zane. He didn’t so much as flinch at the impact.

Bakura growled, “The imbecile left us wide open for damage!”

“Are you okay?” Rain asked.

Zane shrugged, and that was it. Paradox said, “I set a face-down spell or trap and end my turn. See if you can betray your precious dragon, time traveler.”

As she added her sixth card to her hand, she considered how she had created her own worst enemy.

Wouldn’t be the first time. She breathed in, out. She adjusted her hat and flashed a grin. “I’ll show you my Blue-Eyes is always a pal, and enemies don’t have to be! I activate One for One to send a monster from my hand to the graveyard and special summon a level 1 monster from my deck like Kuribon!”

“You mean Kuriboh,” Bakura said.

But the furry, brown monster bouncing on the field had a lengthy tail and red bow very much unlike the original Kuriboh. Rain said, “Nope! Kuribon, a gift lent to me by a dear friend!”

Bakura raised an eyebrow. “They’ll make spinoffs of anything these days.”

“Next, I use the effect of the monster I discarded! Glow-Up Bulb special summons itself by sending the top card of my deck to the graveyard!” The daisy spiraled up from death. An eye peered from the sprout. Rain was staring slack-jawed at her grave.

“You should understand the value of time,” Paradox said. “Have your turn move on!”

“Sorry, I just-” When she smiled, her closed eyes upturned. “I hit the jackpot! I play Return of the Dragon Lords! I can special summon a level 7 or 8 Dragon-type in my grave, and Glow-Up Bulb just so happened to send the Blue-Eyes White Dragon there!”

“A joke!” Paradox roared.

The ivory dragon soared all the same. Rain’s palm faced the earth. “My three monsters align for a Synchro Summon! The requirements are Blue-Eyes White Dragon, a tuner, and a non-tuner!”

Blue-Eyes folded his wings against his back to fit through the trio of portals. His eight stars formed a column with Kuribon and Glow-Up Bulb’s one and one. The column of ten crafted a brilliant pillar of light.

Green rock encased the white dragon’s scales. The ice-like growth transformed the Blue-Eyes into a beast of gleaming emerald. A neon-green six-pointed star formed on the monster’s forehead.

“Orichalcos Dragon’s effect activates! Every monster on our fields gains 500 attack, himself included!” The dragon’s original 3000 attack increased to 3500. “Orichalcos Dragon attacks Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon! _Emerald Soul Lightning_!”

A verdant glow pulsed within the Synchro. The monster’s frozen shut jaws snapped open. Uncontainable power burst out in a stream green as ghouls. The attack pierced Malefic Blue-Eyes’ heart and blasted Paradox’s runner. His life points dropped to 3300, and his hovering vehicle rocked back and forth.

“I haven’t used my Normal Summon,” Rain said. “I set a monster as well as two cards in my backline.”

With zero cards in her hand, she was free to grasp her backpack straps, stand on her tiptoes, drop back down, and repeat. She felt pretty good about her turn. Proud – more than a little this time.

Bakura hummed in thought. “Isn’t there a limit to how many cards one can play in a turn?”

“No, not really.”

He thinned his eyes at her field. “I get the feeling there should be.”

Taking it as a compliment, she giggled. A mix of fear, confusion, and anger contorted Paradox’s expression. “A time traveler and a heretic. How dare you use a card belonging to god?”

“Like I said: Z-ONE sent me here to stop you!”

“Nonsense,” he hissed. “The heretic must have slithered her way into god’s castle. The cardboard rectangles stand for nothing and fall for everything. My turn! Malefic World activates, adding a random Malefic monster to my hand!”

The mist curled into his palm and materialized. He plucked the card out of the air, a confident grin stretching his lips. The doubt planted by Orichalcos Dragon scattered to the wind so quickly.

Rain shook her head. Swaying him may not have been possible. She grasped the brim of her hat and wondered if his attempt on her life should have tossed out the “join my side” option.

But she was one to hope.

Paradox said, “Fate favors the brightest future. I’ve drawn Malefic Diabound, which I special summon by sending Diabound Kernel from my deck to the grave!”

A human-like hand rose from the black puddle. Like a zombie from his coffin, Malefic Diabound dragged himself into the world. His angelic wings and underside of his cobra stained black like the other Malefic alterations.

“Alongside him, I special summon Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon by sending to the graveyard its ordinary version from my deck!”

Rain watched Joey Wheeler’s still form instead of his infected dragon. He would’ve hated to see his ace monster dishonored. Rain said, “Both only have 2400 attack, so you’re stuck.”

“Malefic Diabound’s ability!” Paradox said. “By banishing him until next Standby, a monster on your field loses attack equal to Diabound’s!”

Malefic Diabound dove into the ink. From the ground, a shadowy version of the cobra snapped at Orichalcos Dragon. The sinking of its teeth elicited the Synchro’s whine. The Dragon’s attack dropped to 1100.

“Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon attacks Orichalcos Dragon! _Black Flame Bullet_!”

Ebony fire peppered the Dragon, singing holes in its stony armor. The storm of flames rushed through the monster to its duelist. Heat bit unprotected skin. Rain held up an elbow to shield her eyes as her team’s LP dropped to 2500.

“I’m okay!” Rain said. “It didn’t even hurt!”

“I don’t believe anyone inquired,” Bakura said. “Am I able to play the game now, or is the robot still being unoriginal?”

“Oh how it must hurt seeing your monster in the hands of a more skilled duelist.”

Through his teeth, Bakura said, “Woe is me. _Pass your turn_.”

“Wish granted.”

Bakura didn’t bother looking at the card he drew. Malefic Diabound reformed on Paradox’s field. Bakura said, “I first set two cards then activate Card of Destruction. We’ll both discard our hands and redraw the same amount. I’ll next be activating my set Soul Release to banish a total of three monsters from my graveyard.”

A gorgeous woman in a pale blue dress walked aimlessly across his field. Her long and thick hair, its colors the cold half of the rainbow, shone like sunlight on water. Her beauty captivated three spirits, who followed her out of the game.

“I have now achieved a particular summoning condition,” Bakura said. “I’ll play the other card I set at the beginning, Dark Spirit’s Mastery, to fetch the owner of this condition.”

A dense curtain of shadows formed behind Bakura. From it, a cerulean hand reached towards the Shadow Game as though desperate to play. Bakura said, “The souls removed from play return to my deck in order to special summon Curse Necrofear.”

Shadows parted. Necrofear took a step towards the game, blurred, and appeared an inch in front of Malefic Diabound. A _creak_ sounded as the limp baby doll in Necrofear’s cradling arms turned its head. The doll’s mouth opened as if to scream or cry or make any sound but silence settled instead.

A chill crawled down Rain’s spine. She guessed the horrified look on Paradox’s face wasn’t just because of Necrofear’s 2800 attack.

“Curse Necrofear!” Bakura shouted. “Gaze into the very soul of our stolen comrade. Corrupt the enemy’s gallant dreams; make all long for quick and painless deaths. Attack Malefic Diabound!”

The doll’s eyes rolled in their sockets and glowed green. Malefic Diabound’s eyes matched the color. He clutched at his temples. His cobra half snaked around his body, wrapped about his neck, and suffocated himself. Malefic Diabound shattered, and Paradox’s life dropped to 2900.

“Not so fast.” Paradox’s delivery lacked a large chunk of his earlier ego. “Malefic Tune, my trap, allows me to draw two cards when you destroy a Malefic of mine.”

Bakura’s palms faced the bleak sky, and his grin was equally dark. “Do with them what you will and see how it fazes the souls longing to consume you.”

Vague brushstrokes of faces formed in the purple fog around Paradox. He grimaced and stared pointedly at the duel and the duel alone. Rain blinked. She never in a million years would’ve thought Bakura scary by how he acted when they met. Now, though…

“I set a monster and a face-down in my backline,” Bakura said. “Turn end.”

Malefic World replaced Paradox’s draw with a random monster pull. Fuchsia formed a rectangle in his palm. A drop of his smugness returned when he said, “I discard Cyber End Dragon from my Extra Deck for Malefic Cyber End Dragon!”

The silhouette flying from the black ink blotted out the sky. Three Cyber Dragon heads screeched. The dark half of one head and full black of another hinted at its Malefic infection, and its black wings were like the rest.

“4000 attack again,” Rain muttered.

“I’ll show you the true meaning of fear! Malefic Cyber End Dragon attacks Curse Necrofear with _Eternal Evolution Burst_!” Unstoppable energy razed Necrofear and caught Bakura in the blast. His shouts filled the arena as their life fell to 1300.

Rain yelped. “Are you okay?”

Bakura rubbed a knuckle above his mouth. Steam rose from his clothes. “Have you ever stopped to think on what little that question accomplishes? Of course I’m not bloody _okay_. Now he’ll clear my board of monsters.”

The laughter from Paradox at Bakura’s pain made Rain wonder how, in any timeline, he could think himself a hero. “Malefic Red-Eyes battles your face-down monster!”

The shower of dark fire left holes in the holographic card. A monster lying beneath lifted the corner. Beady black eyes and silver fangs entered the light. A terrifyingly large insect leapt from the underside of the set monster card and bit Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon’s head clean off.

Bakura howled with laughter. “He claims to know the future yet bumbles into the oldest trick in the book!”

Man-Eater Bug shattered with Malefic Red-Eyes. Steaming, Paradox jammed two cards into slots. “Set two and pass.”

“Ah-ah-ah! At your End Phase, Curse Necrofear is special summoned by its own effect since you destroyed it!”

“ _What_? An unkillable monster?”

“Woah,” Rain breathed. She blinked. “Wait. Couldn’t you have destroyed Malefic Cyber End with Man-Eater Bug?”

Bakura scoffed. “The pro over there can handle his own monster.”

A note petty, she thought, but Zane seemed, well, excited? Definitely excited. He drew a third card for his hand and said, “I summon Proto-Cyber Dragon, which is considered Cyber Dragon while on the field. Next, I’ll perform a different sort of Contact Fusion. The materials are Cyber Dragon and any number of Machine-type monsters.”

“Wonderful,” Bakura grumbled. “The ‘pro’ can’t even tell he owns one Machine and one only.”

Proto-Cyber Dragon slithered towards Malefic Cyber-End Dragon and touched its metal snout to its monument-sized opposition. White coated both monsters. Zane said, “Might have forgotten to mention they can come from any field. Contact Fuse: Chimeratech Fortress Dragon!”

Tens of Cyber Dragons rolled together as wheels to craft a massive amalgamate monster. Where the movement of the Cyber Dragons flowed like a living being, the rolling of the Fortress was stilted like an operated tank. Its attack changed to 2000, which was 1000 for each material used.

“Chimeratech Fortress Dragon attacks directly!”

A spacial rip tore open on Paradox’s field. Malefic Cyber End Dragon roared through the portal and glared down the lesser machine. Paradox said, “The Quick-Play Spell Malefic Divide returns a Malefic monster from my graveyard for this turn only!”

“Saved yourself for now. I end my turn.”

The tear snatched Malefic Cyber End away, banishing him from the game. Zane appeared almost sad. After Bakura’s eye-opening words, however, Rain stopped herself from asking if he was alright.

“The turn falls to me, and Malefic World’s effect activates!” Wisps of purple forged a card in his hand, increasing the count to two. “Ah. A gift from a lesser god: the Crimson Dragon. I send Stardust Dragon from my Extra Deck to the grave for Malefic Stardust Dragon!”

The sight of a corrupted Signer Dragon left Rain wincing. Paradox said, “The failure of a guardian dragon is not long for this world. I summon Malefic Parallel Gear, a level 2 tuner monster. Parallel Gear and Malefic Stardust join as tools to save the future!”

The tiny, gold gear ticked like a clock. With each second, additional green portals appeared. Malefic Stardust floated within the rings. On the fourth tick, white and black lightning spurted from the earth and consumed both monsters.

Sparks laced together to form a sleek, draconic body. White arced along the wings and spine, crafting the bone-like adornments marking all Malefics. Gold like Parallel Gear’s body moved as liquid along the monster until forming sharp horns and claws.

“The North Star of a brilliant future! Malefic Paradox Dragon!”

The dragon’s red irises left trails like lasers as it reared its head and roared. The display indicated its 4000 attack. Rain said, “W-why are they all so strong?”

“There is oh so much more to see from my North Star,” Paradox said. “With no care for summoning conditions, Malefic Paradox Dragon can resurrect a Synchro in my grave. I believe you know the one, time traveler.”

“Nonono,” she breathed, “don’t-”

“Under my command, Stardust Dragon!”

A shower of cosmos and nebulae birthed Yusei’s dragon. Silver from Malefic Paradox Dragon’s limbs jolted forward and stabbed into the Signer Dragon. Paradox Dragon manipulated Stardust like a ventriloquist.

Her hands covered her ears. “S-stop hurting him.”

The plea lacked any vigor. She was too busy trying not to cry. Grinning, Paradox threw his arm forward. “Malefic Paradox Dragon’s ability now comes into play. For every other Synchro on my field, monsters opposing me lose attack matching those Synchro monsters’! _Curse of Immortality_!”

Stardust Dragon’s torturous cry dropped Chimeratech Fortress Dragon’s attack to zero. Paradox laughed and laughed. “See what befalls those who oppose our future! Malefic Paradox Dragon attacks Chimeratech Fortress Dragon such that time might flow again! _Time Inverted Implosion_!”

A sphere gathered in the Synchro’s mouth. Crackling dark and light shot forward. Zane set his jaw as the intense blast approached.

The stream of energy parted into two and crashed into the sphere containing the duel. The sheer power blasted Zane’s coattails forward. Stunned, he stared at the three saints in sky-blue robes before him.

“Waboku!” Rain shouted. “This trap prevents you from dealing damage or destroying monsters this turn!”

A snarl twisted Paradox’s features. “By _battle_. Your simple trap won’t prevent anything. I activate the trap Malefic Claw Stream! I can target and destroy any monster you control! Without Chimeratech, you’ll have no field and no resources!”

Aqua shot from Paradox’s trap as a rectangular beam. The direction abruptly shifted. Malefic Claw Stream destroyed the set monster on Rain’s field. Paradox shouted, “How?”

“The trap card Shift alters your target to another of my choosing!”

“Chimeratech Fortress Dragon isn’t _that_ important,” Zane muttered.

“Even so,” she said, her voice low and lip still quivering, “that destruction achieved something incredible.”

Rain closed her eyes. Through her nostrils, she breathed in and out. There was someone, once – a friend who had a miraculous ability to make her feel safe despite all circumstances swirling about her like the eye of a hurricane.

The panic and fear from Stardust’s pained cries streamed out of Rain. She opened her eyes, squared her shoulders, and announced: “Paradox has just destroyed Wise Core with a card effect!”

A white portal opened on the concrete behind her. Five machines rose and snapped together. Sparks flew from the joints. The infinity symbol blazed bright blue at the robot’s chest. Her lips stretched into a brilliant grin. She announced, “Never fear! Meklord Emperor Wisel is here!”

“Destruction let her summon five monsters?” Bakura grumbled. “Madness.”

“But they’re all one monster,” Zane said. “One large, odd monster.”

“How _dare_ you?” Paradox said. “You thieving woman, snatching Aporia’s god-given gift from under his nose! This is more than thievery; it’s blasphemy. You’ll pay for defying god so blatantly.”

The grin she directed her monster was silly. “All you androids are bad listeners, huh? Guess I’ll have to show you instead! My draw! I’ll start by using Meklord Emperor Wisel’s ability to steal Stardust Dragon _back_!”

Tentacles fired from the nucleus embedded in Wisel’s chest and freed Stardust from his enslavement. The joining of Wisel and Stardust Dragon boosted Wisel’s attack from 2500 to 5000. “You know the drill! Meklord Emperor Wisel attacks Malefic Paradox Dragon with _Siphoned Stardust_!”

A silver beam from Wisel’s chest delivered Stardust’s revenge, blasting through the other Synchro and dropping Paradox’s life points to 1900. Paradox clutched at his chest. He tried to speak, staggered, and righted himself. “Y-you… could have attached Paradox Dragon and won. That and using a Meklord – you’re a double agent.”

She shook her head. “Not at all. Taking back Stardust was more important.”

“How many brands of stupid are you?” Bakura said. “We could have had them all back!”

But Rain had her own list of priorities, and she expected Paradox to have an underhanded way to weasel out of their deal. She took heart in the Stardust Dragon close to her and said, “I’ll move to end my-”

A card flipped up in Paradox’s backline. Clouds spiraled. Voltage cracked down to earth. The electrified light phased through the sphere and scorched the pavement. The violent luminosity left scars in Rain’s eyesight. Four lightning bolts struck at once. The _boom_ of thunder masked her gasp.

A dragon of pure gold floated above Paradox’s field. The tips of its wings brushed the skyscrapers boxing in Domino Square. Fuchsia streamed upward from an aura around Paradox. His life points dropped to 950. His smile was calm and complacent as though he knew, he _knew_ he’d won from the start.

“My final trap, Malefic Paradigm Shift, activates when my Synchro is destroyed,” he explained. “By paying half my life points, I special summon Malefic Truth Dragon.”

The dragon roared like thunder. Lightning surged. Rain hesitated to check the display.

5000 attack and defense.

She squeaked, cleared her throat, and said, “I, um, end my turn.”

“As long as its attack matches your mega monster’s, we’re safe,” Zane assured. “We’re not even close to losing.”

Bakura said, “Who’d have thought the fellow in the mortician costume an optimist?”

Zane grasped his collar. “…Mortician?”

“Do you comprehend the truth, time traveler?” Paradox asked. Malefic Truth Dragon’s massive wings wrapped around her field, locking her and Meklord Emperor Wisel within. Paradox kept eye contact from his place in the sky.

“There is one truth about the desolate future. Humanity is a memory. Civilization is ashes scattered upon rubble. You are from a time before mine, so you hold onto hope. I understand why you would distrust god’s motive and my and Aporia’s directives. The truth is this: my mission must be carried out to prevent that future.”

“I’ve been trying to tell you. Fulfilling your directive won’t save your future!” Rain shouted. “All it’ll do is ruin Rahlin’s life! I’ll never allow that to happen!”

“What is this ‘Rahlin?’”

Rain’s teeth grit. He didn’t even know her name. “Rahlin’s the one floating in the diamond who looks like me. She’s the person you’re trying to ‘revive,’ but the reality is a far worse fate.”

“You would place the value of a single girl’s life above the fate of the future?”

She wrung the bracelet around her wrist. “It’s thanks to Rahlin that your future is safe and sound. You’re correct that there is only one truth. My mentor once advised that the truth has many different angles. Please, Paradox, consider mine.”

His eyes searched hers. Paradox breathed out. The gilded drapery of his dragon’s wingspan retreated to his field. His fingers ran through his golden locks. “I see. For Aporia to be swayed by you…”

Paradox looked to the sky, and his arms dropped. “Must have been an error in his coding. Malefic Truth Dragon attacks Meklord Emperor Wisel! _Unwavering Barrage_!”

Purple mist gathered in Truth’s maw. Wisel met the ensuing beam with his wristblade. The effort of blocking the blast left the meka’s limbs shivering. Rain couldn’t look away from the shining blade protecting her from the attack. She stood straighter, and her expression laxed. Aporia was like Paradox, too; he was prepared to make any sacrifice necessary and never listen to others’ rationales. But.

That ideal Aporia learned, the way his priority shifted…

* * *

 _“All life_ is _precious – I would not see any of them harmed.”_

* * *

“Malefic Truth Dragon’s ability!” Paradox exclaimed. “By banishing a Malefic monster from my graveyard, my monster is not destroyed! I remove Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon from play!”

The beam surged. Wisel’s chest piece shattered.

“Now that your monster has been destroyed by battle, Malefic Truth Dragon’s second ability activates,” Paradox said. “Every monster opposing me is destroyed, and you take 800 damage for each one! I count… 6 in total.”

Four parts remained of her Meklord Emperor. Bakura had Curse Necrofear on the field, and Zane held onto Chimeratech Fortress Dragon. Their 1300 life counter had no way of standing up to the damage.

Paradox crushed his fingers into a fist. “ _Veracious Desolation._ ”

Rain held up her arms to shield her eyes from the oncoming blast.

She could see an imaginary scene with her old friend play out in her mind’s eye. Aporia would be ashamed to see his penultimate goal stomped on so vigorously. He’d rant on Rain’s incompetence and misuse of his cards. Then, he’d begrudgingly admit how, in truth, she did her best and he’s disappointed the happy ending Rain and Rahlin deserved wouldn’t be fulfilled.

And that – that disappointment she couldn’t possibly permit.

The rush impacted something in front of her. Energy fired in all directions. An orange fluffball floated on her field. She spread her stance. “Discarding Hanewata prevents your effect damage.”

“A needless extension. The truth is inescapable. Set one and turn end.”

“As is Curse Necrofear,” Bakura said. “Since you destroyed it, my monster returns to my field at the End Phase.”

“The puny fiend cannot scrape the truth.”

Bakura snorted. “All of a sudden he fancies himself a poet. I’ll test your reading comprehension with a Ritual Spell of mine: Contract with the Dark Master. I’ll conduct this Ritual Summon by tributing Curse Necrofear.”

“Pity. An immortal line of defense thrown away.”

Fabric in shades of indigo and violet curled around Curse Necrofear and tightened slowly, deliberately like an anaconda breaking its prey. Bakura’s grin widened the tighter the fabric wound. “Pity for your demise. I Ritual Summon Dark Master – Zorc!”

Green fog flooded the arena. _Boom_. A flap of scarlet velvet marched forward. _Boom_. Each step of the monster was an earthquake. _Boom_. What Rain thought the folds of a red cape was the ends of the Ritual Monster’s demonic wings. Its height equaled Truth Dragon’s spot in the sky; Zorc could bat the monster out of the air.

In size only, though, for Zorc had 2700 attack to Truth Dragon’s 5000.

“The Dark Master’s ability,” Bakura announced. “I roll a die. If the result is one to five? I win. Six? I lose. Roll!”

Zorc’s sharp claws climbed up the gold melded into the flesh of his chiseled chest. A large, black die formed above his head and spun in place. The die rolled on four.

“Four means I destroy one monster on your field! Malefic Truth Dragon is my target for _Armageddon_!”

Zorc gripped the dragon’s neck and jolted his wrist to the right, snapping the bones with little effort. Paradox said, “Banishing a Malefic from my grave prevents that destruction! I’ll choose Malefic Diabound this time!”

The removal of Bakura’s infected monster inspired his sneer. “Pass turn.”

Paradox could’ve thrown the card he drew in the garbage for the attention he paid it. “Malefic Truth Dragon battles Dark Master – Zorc!”

The massive blast from Truth Dragon impacted Curse Necrofear in defense position.

Bakura yawned.

“Explain yourself!” Paradox screeched.

“Oh, that?” A corner of his mouth lifted. “I discarded Dark Spirit of Banishment for its effect to bring back Curse Necrofear and redirect attack targets. Oh! And it appears a Level 8 Fiend hit my graveyard, so I can add back Dark Spirit of Banishment.”

Paradox ground his molars. “Turn end.”

“And Curse Necrofear is special summoned since you so kindly destroyed it.”

Paradox’s eye twitched. “You and the time traveler can stall as much as you like. As soon as a single opening is reached, you will lose, time will resume, and the future is saved. You villains cannot prevent the future’s salvation!”

“’Villains?’” Zane repeated. “Dramatic, much?”

“Those who would fight for humanity’s genocide are nothing less than evil.”

“Big leap for the gentleman fresh off attempting murder,” Bakura said.

“Aporia stuck to his directive in the same way,” Rain said, “but his strongest accomplishments happened when he admitted he was wrong. If you opened your mind to more than your skewed ‘truth,’ you could do the same.”

Paradox slammed his fist against his runner. “ _There is only one truth_!”

“A truth I’ll test,” Zane said. “I send Cyber Dragon Zwei to the graveyard to special summon Cyber Dragon Nachster. Now, I play the final card in my hand: Overload Fusion. Banishing any number of materials from my field and graveyard Fusion Summons a DARK Machine-type of mine. I’ll use… six.”

Nachster, Zwei, two Cyber Dragons, Cyber Twin Dragon, and Proto-Cyber Dragon snaked together. The many mechanical bodies merged, and six heads sprouted from the combined carcasses.

“Chimeratech Overdragon. Its attack and defense equal the number of materials times 800.”

Six screeches synchronized, and the attack counter boosted to 4800. Through his teeth, Paradox hissed, “Not enough! The truth is insurmountable!”

A trap flipped up on Bakura’s field; he showed Paradox his back. Throwing up his hand with nonchalance, Bakura said, “Call of the Haunted for Orichalcos Dragon.”

The Synchro Monster crawled among the graves. Its neon green eyes lit like lasers. The Seal of Orichalcos glowing on its forehead created a matching symbol for Chimeratech Overdragon, whose attack boosted to 5300 through the Synchro’s effect.

Rain beamed. “You used my monster! All together, we’re-”

“A _forced_ team,” Bakura said.

“The duel is not over,” Paradox said.

“Overdragon’s second effect. For each material used, he gains an attack this turn. That would be… seven total battles.”

Paradox’s eyes widened as he took in his life counter.

“Battle one!” Zane thrust his arm forward. “Chimeratech Overdragon and Malefic Truth Dragon! _Evolution Result Burst_!”

Brilliant blue brawled mangled fuchsia. Overdragon’s attack left chips in Truth Dragon’s gold armor. Paradox’s life dropped from 950 to 650, and he clutched at his upper arm. “Banishing Malefic Rainbow Dragon prevents destruction!”

“Again!” Zane shouted. “ _Evolution Result Burst – Duo_!”

Chimeratech Overdragon’s blast tore holes in Malefic Truth Dragon’s wings. The graceful monster staggered, and Paradox did the same. His life fell to 350. “I banish Malefic Stardust Dragon!”

Zane held up three fingers. “ _Evolution Result Burst – Triple_!”

One of Truth Dragon’s wings crashed into the pavement. Paradox screamed. His life points lowered to 50. “B-banish Malefic Paradox Dragon. The future can’t-”

Zane used his four fingers as a salute. “ _Evolution Result Burst – Quadruple_.”

Four dark heads gathered aqua energy between their steely teeth. The four streams combined, swallowed Malefic Truth Dragon and Paradox, and dropped his life points to zero.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW HE'S DONE! AND ONLY FIVE CHAPTERS IN! don't worry. i promise it's still a feature-length film. c;
> 
> Below is the description of the original card used in this chapter:
> 
> \---------------------
> 
> Orichalcos Dragon
> 
> 10-Star, DARK Attribute
> 
> [Dragon/Synchro/Effect]
> 
> [3000 ATK / 2500 DEF]
> 
> 1 Tuner + "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" + 1 or more non-Tuner monster(s)
> 
> If this card would be removed from the field by an effect (Quick Effect): you can negate and destroy that card. All monsters you control gain 500 ATK. You can summon monsters in Spell/Trap zones. While you control 2 or more face-up Attack Position monsters, your opponent cannot target your monster(s) with the lowest ATK for an attack.


	6. The New Immortal

The hovering motorbike crashed into Domino Square. The fog from Malefic World lifted, and the shifting darkness of the Shadow Game dispersed. The white haze indicating stopped time remained. Rain gaped at the spare rays of sunshine reaching the skyscraper windows through the mist.

“We won. You did it.” Her slacked jaw transformed into a bright smile. “You did it! _We won_!”

She held her palm up to Zane. He considered it. Didn’t move, though. “Yeah.”

Rain’s fingers curled. She frowned and pulled back the neglected high-five. Blushes touched her cheeks. Bakura stomped in front of the rest of the team. To Paradox, he said, “You lost the Shadow Game. Pay your side of the bet or face consequences from the demons watching.”

From the wreckage, Paradox pulled himself up. His palms bled from skidding. Scratches and bruises marred his fair skin. Like Malefic Truth Dragon, his golden hair had suffered burns and severe dishevelment.

He threw out a bundle of cards.

Rain and Bakura sprinted forward immediately. Zane followed at a slow pace. Rain fawned over the return of Stardust Dragon and her Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Bakura grinned at Diabound Kernel. Holding the corners with both hands, Rain presented Cyber End Dragon to Zane.

As for the Malefic editions, Rain elected to drop them in her Decoy Dragon backpack. “Mission success! Thanks for you guys’ help. Um. I guess I can take you home now.”

“Would be nice,” Zane mumbled.

Bakura tapped Paradox with his toe. The android scowled. “What about the thief? I hear stockade is a fun punishment.”

“Nothing like that,” Rain said. “As long as these cards are safe, he can’t divert Rahlin’s future. Let him go. He’ll have time to think about what truth really means.”

“You’re awfully forgiving,” Bakura said.

The fanned cards folded together in her palm. “Vengeance never helped anybody. Can you take me to Rahlin after I take Zane back?”

Bakura’s smile was pleasant. “Of course! Take your time.”

Rain blinked. The guy could flip a switch. She pressed two fingers onto her bracelet. The instant the fog faded, Paradox leapt into action. He shoved his duel runner forward, summoned a portal, and drove into wherever or whenever he desired.

“The true villain escapes! A harrowing ending,” Bakura commented. Rain’s brows furrowed. His voice was so light all of a sudden. “Hurry with your return, and I’ll be right here!”

The others in the distance performed double takes. Joey, Téa, and Tristan, Rain recalled. They were Rahlin’s friends or maybe her not-friends. She couldn’t wait to find out; she couldn’t wait to hear the full story.

One at a time, she thought as she adjusted her bracelet. Rain grasped Zane’s coat sleeve with her hand wearing the bracelet and slapped it with the other. The pair manifested within an arena.

“Um, could you do a small favor for me?” His brow lifted. She passed along Rainbow Dragon. “The person who owns this is from your time. Are you able to return it to him? I can do it myself if-”

Zane took Rainbow Dragon between his index and middle finger. “I don’t know the owner extremely well, but I know someone who does. You can trust him to deliver it home safely. Though… it’s surprising you expect me to-”

A weighty breath exhaled through Zane’s nostrils. He wasn’t outside surrounded by cops. He was _in the arena_ , and the duel happening inside had occurred _before his_. He even remembered the last move of Cloudian – Eye of the Typhoon attacking a defense position monster, its ability changing the target to attack position, and the damage resulting in the chirp of a zero-point life counter.

“What an amazing combo to special summon Cloudian – Eye of the Typhoon!”

“The future is always a mystery,” Rain whispered. “I just- I really believe in you making it out of here on your terms, I guess! It sure was nice meeting you, Zane!”

Rain grinned and saluted. He returned the gesture. She gasped. “That’s perfect! That’s the one. Keep that smile, and I think you’ll make lots more friends!”

He laughed a little. “Have you heard of the Duel Academy?”

“Yeah! Some of my friends go there!”

“Look into it.”

She twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “Gee, I didn’t think my dueling was so bad I needed to go to school-”

“Being a teacher,” Zane said. “You have the patience and forgiveness already.”

The stadium lights caught in her wide eyes.

He waved her away. “Good luck. Hope your sister turns out okay.”

Her smile was bittersweet that time. A wave good-by and flash of green left her back in Domino Square. She grasped the brim of her hat and peered at the sun. The absence of fog, mist, and shadows inspired her smile.

A bright future awaited her.

Several pairs of feet sprinted towards her. She lowered her focus to watch Joey, Tristan, and Téa approach. Tristan said, “That’s insane! You really can appear and disappear like Bakura said! How do you do it? Do you go invisible? You gotta show me! Think of the possibilities, man! Free seats at baseball games, girls’ locker rooms-”

Téa smacked him upside the head. “Where is she? Bakura said you found Rahlin.”

“What? No. Bakura said he’d take me to her. Where is he?”

Joey squinted. “You kiddin’? He left sayin’ _you_ was bringing back Rahlin for a big reunion or whatever. Figured he was best saved for last. I asked Mai to come and everything! You didn’t even bring her?”

“I didn’t- I- why would he say that?”

“Figures,” Joey muttered. “Y’got my Red-Eyes back though, right? Bakura said that, too.”

Rain nodded several times while pulling out the stack of cards. She sifted through the Malefic copies as well as Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Stardust Dragon. Her brows knit. She thumbed through the stack again. Cyber End Dragon, Rainbow Dragon, and Diabound Kernel wouldn’t have been there because they returned to their rightful owners.

But Red-Eyes Black Dragon must have been present. It must’ve, because that was the whole reason she had to stop Paradox. Red-Eyes was the last component needed to complete the ritual that would ruin Rahlin’s future.

Therefore, it had to be with her. Rain’s vision blurred. It couldn’t have been that, on the high of victory, she didn’t check the cards Paradox dropped carefully enough. She couldn’t have made a mistake so careless.

Rain sobbed.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Metal jangled. The points of the Millennium Ring did not lie. Bakura slipped into a dark and empty boardroom. The other floors of the KaibaCorp offices were busy, sure. Luckily for him, the receptionist decided to take a “nap” upon his visitation.

A grin slashed Bakura’s face as he followed the Ring’s guidance. He reached the back of the room. The Ring urged him forward. Curtains flanked the wall. He reached for the center.

His fingers passed through, and the illusion rippled like a disturbed pond.

Bakura stepped through the portal. Several blinks allowed him to adjust to the torchlight on the other side. In the distance, a figure scrambled on the ground. A large motorbike was parked next to a portal.

At the sound of Bakura’s steps, Paradox turned. The addition of Red-Eyes Black Dragon’s consumption added a fifth stream to a transmutation circle drawn on the ground. The black energy struck a diamond shape floating above the center of the circle. Darkness coated the floating object.

“You’re too late!” Paradox shouted. His hands shook as he unfolded a piece of paper, and his eyes raced along the lines. “ _By the power drawn from the bonds between monsters and humans throughout time, I grant the imprisoned monster immort-_ ”

A white snake curled around Paradox’s neck. The paper fluttered to the stone. Paradox clawed at the cobra choking him. Diabound tightened his grip. Bakura held up the Diabound Kernel card. A corner of his mouth lifted.

The sunshine girl was incorrect. Vengeance was _everything_. Paradox’s eyes rolled back, and his limbs went limp. Diabound released the time traveler. Paradox’s knees hit the stone before his face slammed into the ground.

Bakura knelt and extended a finger beside the android’s mouth. Warm breaths touched his skin. Bakura clicked his tongue. Good because he could torture him more; bad because he had to put in more effort to do Paradox in.

The black electricity died down. Ink melted down the floating diamond and dripped in a puddle. Bakura stepped towards the circle, his eyes never leaving the glass object. He laughed. “So this is where you’ve been hiding all this time!”

He lifted his Ring, and all needle points strained towards the diamond. “Rahlin Orichalcum.”

The girl floated as though suspended in water. Her right eye was shut. The white eyepatch covering her left was clean as her black suit. Nothing had changed from the day she vanished. As the black settled on the ground, Bakura noticed a couple of objects next to the diamond: a large pendant and a familiar cane.

His pace was slow as he rounded her like a vulture’s circle in the sky. “Oh how I have longed to talk to _you_ , Rahlin. My host seems to admire you. I chalk it up to his gullibility. I see every truth. You’re as human as a dog, and whatever you hide with that eyepatch proves it. How correct am I from a scale of nine to ten?”

Scanning her face proved fruitless. Not a flicker of acknowledgement altered her serene expression. Rahlin remained still as the dead. Bakura stopped mid-step. Whatever spell she was under must have been strong. He reached for the lavender, glass-like diamond.

Black lightning struck his hand from the puddle beneath Rahlin. He snatched it back and stared down in shock – not of fear nor fury.

No; the dark energy in the puddle felt _good_.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Tears cascaded down Rain’s cheeks. She rubbed the heels of her hands beneath her eyelids to no avail. She sniffled and gave up on wiping away the glisten upon her cheekbones.

“It’s okay. Hey, you’re fine.” A soft squeeze on her shoulders convinced her to open her eyes, at least. Téa’s teal eyes tilted by her concern. “What happened, Rain? Did Bakura do something?”

“ _No_ ,” she said, and she hated how childish her whine sounded. She grit her teeth and touched the gem on her ring finger. She rotated the band three times, and three times she repeated: “Three thousand nine hundred forty-five.”

Téa now wore a different sort of concern. “Hm?”

“I’ll be okay.” Panic streamed out of Rain, and her breathing found steady rhythm. “I’m sorry, Joey. Red-Eyes Black Dragon isn’t here. I messed up big time. Paradox will be heading to wherever Rahlin is, and only Bakura knew the location.”

“’N’ he went poof,” Joey lamented.

Harsh _click_ s marched towards Rain. She was preoccupied studying her shoelaces because she couldn’t stand to see how crestfallen the group was on her behalf. The footfalls stopped in front of her. She ducked her head and hoped her hat would hide her from the disappointment.

A finger with a finely manicured nail lifted the underside of her chin, forcing her to look up. She beheld the face of what must have been a goddess. The sun shone on her blonde ringlets and hoop earrings. Her rouge-painted lips were pressed together in the firmest frown Rain had witnessed in her nineteen years. The jacket thrown over the woman’s shoulder was the same lavender as her eyes.

The two stood there, eyes locked, for what felt like hours. The woman’s face trembled and twitched as though holding back more than words. Her hand moved to her shoulder, covering a strap of her salmon lace-up top. With eyes pinched shut, she shouted, “Who do you think you are?”

“Um,” was all Rain said. Heels involved meant the lady was a head and a half taller than Rain at minimum, and well, she had an incomparable view.

“That’s _it_? You disappear out of my life after- after all I did for you, all we went through together, after _making my damned cat attached to you_ , that’s all you have to say?”

“Chill out, Mai,” Joey said.

“Now’s not the time!”

“Would be,” Joey said, “if ya was talkin’ to Rahlin right now.”

The goddess named Mai studied Rain, who cleared her throat. Well. She attempted to. Didn’t help how terrified she was. “Rahlin’s my sister.”

Mai crossed her arms. “Silently letting others hate on you runs in the family, huh.”

Absolutely, Rain thought but daren’t utter.

“Where is she?” Mai demanded.

Tristan spoke up. “MIA. Bakura knows where, but he gave us the slip. Our next job’s tracking him down.”

“Kid numero dos.” Mai pointed at Rain. Must’ve been her new name. “You’re not from around here, right?”

“Right.”

“You stay put in case he comes around. Can’t have you getting lost like-” Her face fell. “Anyway. The rest of us are splitting up and taking parts of the city. Call your dibs!”

They shouted routes and streets that left Rain’s head spinning. After their gang broke, Rain slouched beneath the clock tower. She kept her eyes peeled for white hair and glimmering jewelry.

Time passed.

And passed.

And slogged on.

The clock above Domino Square chimed with a too-pleasant tune and issued a digital-sounding _bong_ twice. The search for Bakura had started shortly before twelve. Two whole hours wasted, she thought.

A lot more wasted.

The trail looped her mind back around to her mistake. She was just. Sitting here. Tears built in the corners of her eyes. She had a white-knuckle grip on her seat. She bit her knuckle in hopes it’d prevent the tears. No luck.

Stupid dead weight. Rahlin never would’ve…

Rain bit down harder as more tears plinked onto her hand. The insane amount of work her sister put in gone to nothing because of Rain’s carelessness. Back to square one since the timeline would need to be reset and no way Rain could possibly be smart or dedicated enough to accomplish-

“Why are you crying?”

Rain hiccupped. Somebody had sat down right next to her without her noticing. So much for being a lookout. Another notch for her screw-ups today. Her throat tight, she managed: “I- I was supposed to h-help someone I love very much. Instead, I g-got their future ruined.”

“I see.” The tenderness sown into his words was noticeable despite the depth of his voice. “Would it help to hear the future is never set in stone?”

“That’s true, but…” She sniffled. “It takes a lot of work from somebody unbelievable to change it. It’s not impossible, but when it’s me in the driver’s seat, it may as well be.”

“You should give yourself more credit,” he said. She laced her fingers together and stared at the dip of her palms. He leaned forward. “I like your hat.”

She instantly sat up straight and exclaimed, “You do? I, I’ve been wearing it _all day_ and thought it was _so cute_ and nobody’s even said anything until you! You’re nice. You- oh. You look familiar. Have we met?”

The boy sitting beside her with his legs crossed at the knee had a kind smile that crinkled his amethyst eyes. His fingers glanced the chain around his neck, which held a golden, upside-down pyramid. Rain seemed to recall that along with his wild hair – bangs yellow like sunlight, middle black like night, and tips red like fire.

“We have not, but your sister said the same thing when I met her the first time,” he said. “My friends told me about you, Rain.”

“Friends?”

“Joey said not to bother with you, but the others – Mai, Tristan, and Téa – said you might need a helping hand. I hear you’re trying to find Rahlin.”

She leapt to her feet. “Yes! You knew her? You knew Rahlin?”

“I had the honor to meet her, yes,” he said. “I’m afraid a tragic event occurred, and she’s… gone. I’m sorry, Rain. I truly am.”

His expression betrayed the battle within him. Rain said, “W-what d’you mean? She can’t be- what happened?”

Her voice cracked. He sighed. “I was the last person to see her. I’m afraid her final wish was for me to keep secret what happened to her. That’s why I am truly sorry.”

“Well, it- that makes sense. You can’t break a promise.” Her hands clasped together in a prayer to anyone who might listen. “If you were the last one to see her, though, is there a chance you could take me there?”

“Take you?”

“To where you last saw her,” Rain said. “I know it’s a long shot, but I’m willing to try anything to find her. I know you think she’s gone. I don’t believe that’s the truth – not by far!”

The flip from despairing to hopeful seemed to have caught him off-guard. “I can take you there, yes.”

She pumped her fists. “Yes! Let’s go- um. Sorry. What’s your name?”

That he found himself loosing a small bout of laughter was a wonderment in and of itself. “You are a breath of fresh air after a rough two weeks, Rain. I must admit you are not what I expected when I heard Rahlin had a sister. I do not have a name I can remember, but Rahlin called me ‘prince.’”

“People keep saying that. About us being different,” Rain mumbled. The prince led them away from Domino Square. The citizens laughing in groups around them stopped, stared, and whispered when the prince passed. “Are you a real prince?”

“I’m not sure. I have lost my memory.”

The pair passed a bakery. The pleasant scent of fruit pies drifted from within. Rain found herself nearing the establishment without realizing. She slapped her own cheeks. “Um, everyone sure looks at you like you are! Are you famous?”

He chuckled. “I suppose I am.”

“What? That’s amazing!” Rain watched a passing cloud. “Rahlin was friends with a famous person. Oh. I think I’m overstepping. The way everyone talks about her – I’m not sure if she was friends with anyone.”

“If I were to speak to her today,” the prince said, “I would not hesitate to call Rahlin Orichalcum my friend.”

Rain’s eyes shone. “You r-really mean it?”

“Of course I do.”

Cars honked, and signals changed from stop to go. Rain was grateful the prince didn’t have long legs like her other companions as they hurried through the crosswalk. “Everyone I’ve talked to has had the worst to say about her. Why do you think differently?”

“I saw a side of her no one else did. Are their opinions swaying you?”

A rickety breath passed her lips. She stopped in her tracks. Her heart hammered her ribcage. Bakura told the truth about Rahlin becoming a Soul Reaper once again. Joey and his group confirmed it. They were helping to find her, but what if the real reason was because they all wanted vengeance on her – or to put an end to her once and for all?

Maybe they had the right call. Maybe that other Rahlin, who frequented her nightmares, was the only version of her to exist. What if the work Rain put in to save her was just another elaborate trick? Wouldn’t be the first time-

“Rain?”

The prince had paused ahead of her. She lifted her head. The outside world came into focus, and the sounds of the busy roadway and shouting food cart vendors flooded her hearing. Rain squared her shoulders and stepped forward. Her leg quaked.

“Sorry,” she said, “I’m sorry. I just, I doubt myself a lot, and I’ve trusted the wrong people before. Bakura told me about her being a Soul Reaper everyone knew about. Your friends mentioned the same.”

His brows pushed inward. “How strange. I assumed Bakura would talk her up more than anyone.”

“He was a little weird.” Rain scratched her temple and watched the bouncing of her pink-and-blue shoelaces as she walked. “Sometimes he was super nice, like when I first met him and right before he disappeared. For a while there, he was sorta creepy. That’s around when he told me about Rahlin stealing a… lot of souls with the Orichalcos.”

The prince halted. Rain said, “What’s wrong?”

“This is troublesome news.” His glare at the concrete was intense. He shook his head and waved his hand. “Bakura comes later. For now, we find Rahlin.”

“Is something wrong with Bakura?”

“I suggest you do not take his conniving words to heart. The Bakura you met wasn’t who he appeared to be.”

“Er. What’s that mean?”

The prince craned his neck. “We’ve arrived.”

Rain followed his focus and yelped. “I can’t go back in there! The guy who runs this place hates me!”

“You’ve met Kaiba?”

Pouting, she toed the concrete. “Yes.”

“Don’t worry; I know how to handle him,” the prince assured. His confident stride through the sliding glass doors leading into KaibaCorp lifted her belief. She kept on his heels.

“Honestly, what do I even hire you people for? There are _twenty missed calls_ here, woman!” Seto Kaiba roared. The receptionist had slumped over her computer. Kaiba moved to shake her shoulder. His nose wrinkled, and he backed off. “You’ll find your official release in the mail.”

“Kaiba.”

The CEO wheeled around. A smug smile was plastered on his face. “Yugi! I’ve added a number of cards to my deck-”

“Now isn’t the time. A friend needs our help. We need to reach the boardroom Dartz took over.”

Rain’s expression slacked while Kaiba huffed. “I don’t allow vermin in the building.”

“Kaiba!”

He swiped open the elevator. “You owe me a rematch for this.”

The prince hurried into the elevator and gestured for Rain to do the same. After the doors closed, he said, “I apologize for him. Don’t allow his words to unnerve you. They are an unfortunate part of his personality.”

“It’s not…” She gulped. “How do you know the name ‘Dartz?’”

“He was the leader of the soul stealers we faced. Dartz was a formidable opponent. If not for Rahlin, I never would have-”

His mouth snapped shut. Rain said, “D-don’t leave me hanging here!”

His eyes tilted down. “I’m afraid I’ve already said too much.”

Rain resisted the urge to ruffle her hair. Her frustration was obvious as her firm frown, but let the record show she did her best to hide it. The elevator _ding_ ed. The highest floor was dark.

The prince rushed forward. She followed his steps. Inside a clear, acrylic wall, he flicked on the lights. Rain blinked to adjust and scanned the empty boardroom. “You saw her here?”

He shook his head and waved her towards the back of the room. “Dartz took over KaibaCorp and used it as his headquarters. During that time, he had a portal formed that led from this room to some cavern. That was the last place I saw her. I’m not sure if the portal is still active since neither Dartz nor Rahlin has been seen for two weeks.”

“Where is it?” Rain asked, her head whipping around.

“Don’t go rushing in,” the prince warned. “Like I said: we can’t be sure if it’s active. You might end up bashing straight into a regular wall.”

Rain spat air. “As if I’d ever…”

She could not finish the statement because she realized the odds were too high.

The prince started towards the furthest end of the boardroom. His hand lifted upon approach. He reached forward, hesitated, and touched the wall with a finger.

The stone rippled like water.

“It’s still here,” he breathed, his eyes wide. Rain sprinted for the portal. The prince held up a stiff arm to stop her. “I must confess, Rain. I cannot… go back there. But. If you need anything, anything at all, I’ll be right here waiting.”

“Oh.”

The word was quiet and mostly a squeak because she realized that whatever lay beyond was what she faced alone.

“When you find Rahlin, please tell her I’ll be waiting.”

“Waiting for what?”

He closed his eyes. A smile spread. “To give her my proper thanks.”

Knowing she had a wish to fulfill, Rain squared her shoulders. She held her breath and walked through the portal. Space bent. Time warped.

Rain fell into her home.


	7. All This Time

[Tell me again, was it fate that stole my soul-]  
[When you left with the wind down that cold and lonely road?]  
[Stripped of our leaves, an eden overthrown]  
[Caught in a dream, where the streetlights fade and all I know is] **  
**[ **Home** ]

 **Home** (feat. Essenger) - Dabin

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

_All This Time_

* * *

Rain faceplanted into crude cobblestone. Her knuckle rubbed against her lip as she pushed herself to her feet. Torchlight casted shivering shadows. Rain recognized the carved symbols, the cut columns, and the curved architecture.

The cavern belonged to Atlantis. Her heart palpitated. Atlantis was meant to have sunk, buried beneath thousands of meters of ocean water. What did it mean? Was it possible she was walking a drowned grave?

A couple of shaky steps back allowed her a look at the portal. The lavender wall blocked off the rest of the area. She guessed exiting would require the same leap as entering. That in mind, she gulped and mentally prepared herself to face whatever lay in the chamber. Rain turned around. She kept her eyes shut at first, but she sure did turn around.

She opened her eyes. Her shaky exhale echoed throughout the drowned catacombs.

At the center of the chamber, Rahlin floated within a purple-tinted diamond. The chalk circle drawn around the base had been ruined by footsteps. Red-Eyes Black Dragon had been tossed to the side. The two spell cards required to complete the ritual were in their correct places but didn’t seem to be affecting anything.

Strangest was the third individual present. Rain expected Paradox to await her. There were no signs of him or his gargantuan duel runner. No, the person passed out on the floor was none other than Bakura. His dark coat had vanished, and the fires threw red onto his white-and-blue striped shirt.

Rain tiptoed around Bakura. To the back of the cavern, a trio of stone snakes spat their forked tongues. Above the snakes was a sight that dug up ancient memories. Rain padded towards the wall of souls. Once upon a time, she and her patron filled the wall with hundreds of visages.

At the moment, the wall held a single soul. The recognizable human had Rain’s brow furrowing. The person pushing on the borders of the slate as though desperately vying for escape was the King of Atlantis, Dartz Orichalcum.

How? Dartz was meant to exist only as vessel to her patron, Divine Serpent Geh. Dartz’s soul existed, but how could it have been offered? That would mean Dartz interacted with the Seal of Orichalcos. Dartz had no option to. His body was used as a puppet by Geh.

And Geh never acted on the front lines – as was the nature of patrons. Rain’s head tilted. The prince had mentioned Dartz. The information must have worked together, but the prince was an oathkeeper. With his lips sealed, Rain wouldn’t figure it out anytime soon.

She turned her attention to Rahlin’s prison. She picked up the two spell cards meant to free Rahlin and ruin her in tandem. Rain ripped the cards in half and tossed the scraps. She scuffed the chalk circle further to be certain of its demise.

Two items lay within the circle: Rahlin’s dragon-engraved cane and the large Orichalcos pendant sealing her memories. Rain picked up her foot and threw her whole weight into smashing the pendant.

Orichalcos cracked and shattered. Ghostly green meandered through the air, permeated the diamond, and shimmered around Rahlin. Rain swore she saw Rahlin’s brows lift. She reached for the floating glass. “Rahlin? Are you there? Can you hear-”

_Zap_! Static lashed her from Rahlin’s prison. Rain whined and sucked on her burnt fingers. Tears stung the corners of her eyes. No more touching, she thought. Absolutely no more touching.

The echoes of her own whine reached her. Her arm slacked. The sound seemed to continue eternally. Except for the waving flames, all was still.

Atlantis truly was a drowned grave.

She shook her head and told herself that was why Rahlin had to be freed. Her focus returned to the untouchable diamond. Who had put her there in the first place? Paradox? Where had he fled to?

Rain glanced at someone who might have answers. She rounded Bakura so she was between him and the portal. Rain grasped his shoulder and squeezed. No response. She gave it a little shake and whispered, “Hey, Bakura?”

He stirred, groaned, and coughed. Bakura propped himself up on an elbow. Blinking, he mumbled, “Where am I? How did- Gosh, I’m famished.”

His golden necklace scraped against the tiles as he moved to a sitting position. His hand rested on his tummy. Rain said, “What happened to you? You told me you’d wait for me then left! Did you see Paradox here?”

Bakura’s jaw slacked. His brown eyes shifted back and forth as though studying her face. He said, “You’re Rain.”

“Um. Yes. We just spoke a few hours ago… Did you get hurt or something?”

An awkward laugh tumbled out of him. He scratched his head. “Goodness. I didn’t think I’d have a chance to meet you. I was sure he would- Rain. I’m so happy to meet Rahlin’s sister. My name is Ryo.”

The way his smile upturned his closed eyes was nothing short of comforting. He extended his hand, and Rain accepted it. “I thought your name was Bakura?”

His glee decayed. “My sincerest apologies. The person you met was masquerading as me. My full name is Ryo Bakura, and my friends like to call me by my last name. The Spirit of the Ring uses it to throw them off and blend in.”

“Spirit,” Rain breathed. What the prince told her was starting to make sense – that the Bakura she met wasn’t who he appeared to be. “You’re Ryo, and you knew Rahlin, too. Um. I guess I’m assuming. Did you know her?”

Sparkles lit up his eyes as he leaned up on his knees. Ryo paused; his line of sight dropped to the ground, and he flopped back. His irises appeared dark. His whisper was barely audible.

“I think so. She- Rahlin was right next to me, and she vanished. Despite you and everyone else speaking to her memory, I doubt myself an awful lot. Many times, I wonder if it was some sort of elaborate dream. I wonder if…”

His head dipped low enough for his bangs to shadow his face. “If Rahlin existed.”

“Ryo?” she said, matching his quiet tone. No response. “Hey, Ryo. Chin up.”

His hands quaked. “I’m not sure I can.”

“No, I mean literally look up! I have to show you something important.”

Slowly, Ryo lifted his head. Rain pointed past his shoulder. Curiosity won. He angled his head to peer behind him.

He shoved to his feet and sprinted forward one step, two. His exhales trembled like his eyes, wide in their sockets. Ryo’s hand hovered in front of his mouth. “I- I- I thought you were gone forever.”

“Um.” Rain kept her distance far to his right. “She can’t hear anything right now-”

Ryo clapped his hand to cover his mouth. Tears streamed over his fingers, which muffled his sobs. He stood in place and cried to himself. “I f-figured I drove you away, or made you uncomfortable, and perhaps I should not have carried you or bothered you about your stories or been a bother at all. I thought you might’ve been something pleasant I dreamt up. Rahlin.”

He sniffled and let out a tiny, tiny laugh. “You, you look so peaceful, I feel it’d be a shame to wake you.”

The gentle sound of bawling to his right distracted him. He glanced to Rain in confusion. Ryo asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Y-you seem real sad is all. L-like you could use a hug!”

His laugh regained some heartiness. The sheen of tears on their cheeks matched. “You aren’t very much like Rahlin, are you?”

“Why does everyone keep saying that?”

“I wouldn’t have called her emotional.” Ryo gazed at Rahlin. “I know she felt plenty of things, but you never could tell by looking at her. Her poker face was one of her many skills, I’d say.”

Composure returned to Rain as she swiped her forearm across her wet face. “Out of the people I’ve met, you’re only the second to say something nice about her.”

His brows lifted. His lips curled down in his best attempted at an angry pout. It was not very effective. “What have they said about her?”

Rain said, “Bakura- the Spirit, I mean, would only say how she was infamous for stealing so many souls. Joey said the same and wanted to get back at her. There were some others who seemed… afraid of her. Do you think she was so horrible?”

“ _Horrible_?” He trained his stare on the imprisoned girl. “I met Rahlin when she had her accident. She was shaking and bleeding and in unimaginable pain, but when I handed her water, she used it on my dying plant. Rahlin gave me gardening advice before she passed out and lost the ability to walk forever. Before fighting Yugi in tournament, she returned his stolen god cards because it was the right thing to do in her mind. Whenever we spoke, she knew exactly what to say to calm whatever worries I happened to have. She had the wisdom to ask for help despite embarrassment and the strength to act despite fear. Speaking of _strong_ – you should have seen her climb an entire construction crane as though her disability meant nothing. Besides all that, she was an incredible duelist and storyteller and had the greatest taste in tea, and you wouldn’t find a better conversationalist and, and no one else is capable of telling you this because she _wanted_ everyone to see the worst of her. She made no efforts to repair her reputation. She wanted to go down in infamy for God knows why, and she deserves better. I’ll tell the billions of them the truth because the whole planet should know how _wonderful_ Rahlin Orichalcum is.”

Deep breaths from his heaving chest echoed throughout the underground cavern. Their rhythm matched the faraway metronomes of dripping water. Darkness warped with dancing flames in sconces. Finally, Rain spoke. “Ryo…”

He tore his stare away from Rahlin. “Yes?”

Smiling, Rain dropped her Decoy Dragon backpack, zipped open the back, and retrieved a sleeved card. “Does this happen to belong to you?”

His grasp on the card was tender and precious. “I lent this Change of Heart to Rahlin.”

Rain’s grin was wide. “Iiii knew it! The future I come from is years and years ahead of you. The pendant over there – the one I broke – was meant to keep Rahlin from remembering what happened here. Didn’t stop her from holding onto that card, though. Rahlin could never forget how much she loved you!”

“Y-you are being awfully presumptuous!” he exclaimed. He squinted at the card, and his eyes glazed. “You mean it? She kept it all those years? And she- did she tell you that she felt that way?”

“’All this time’ were her exact words. Of course she kept it, and she didn’t have to tell me anything.”

His smile trembled. He rubbed at it with his fist. “How do we get her out of there?”

“That’s what I was trying to figure out. At least with Paradox and the black goop gone, we’re not on a time limit.”

His eyes unfocused. “Black goop. That’s what the Spirit stole.”

“Eh?”

“The last thing I remember seeing from the Spirit’s eyes was him absorbing the ink.”

The corners of her mouth curled downward. She grasped the arm of the white coat around her waist as she said, “That can’t be good. I don’t fully understand what the stuff is, but I know for sure it’s powerful. If the Spirit’s up to no good like you said _and_ has that…”

Ryo peered at Rahlin. His fingers curled into fists, and his stare dropped to his feet. “You’ll figure out how to free her; I’m sure. I’ll chase down the Spirit.”

“Ooo! You look like you have a plan! Me, I had no idea how to find him.”

“I have something he needs,” Ryo explained. He glanced at his wrist, and his eyes tilted down. “Pity. He seems to have nabbed my deck.”

Rain lifted her arm. The deck in her disk glowed green. She released the stack of cards and passed it to Ryo. He sifted through the deck. His breath caught. “She used this against me once. Zombies were her favorite, she said. Oh. I don’t recall her using this. I’ve never quite seen a card like it.”

“That’s a Synchro!” Rain said. She excitedly explained the mechanics, and her thumb slid beneath the relevant terms like tuner and non-tuner. “I’ll bet she was sad to not be able to use Synchros. She was supposed to blend in, right?”

“Erm, she was very much conspicuous.”

“Then, um.” Rain blinked. “Sorry. I’m not very good at figuring things out.”

“It’s fine! I’ll use this. Thank you very much, Rain. I’ll have the problem taken care of, and you’ll have nothing to worry over.”

“When you come back,” Rain said, “she’ll be so happy to see you.”

Rain found his bashful look at the tiles nothing short of adorable. He said, “Okay. Okay, I’ll see you soon.”

Ryo disappeared past the portal. The displacement danced up the massive, magical wall like a ripple in a lake. The transportation enthralled Rain for several passing seconds. The soles of her tennis shoes whispered upon the stone floor. She stared at Rahlin, her focus shifting between her eye and patch.

Her backpack still lay on the floor. She fished through the contents and produced one of two larger items: a sheathed saber. Her eyes bounced down the three Atlantian letters engraved upon the blade.

A green glow coated the sword. “Let’s get you out of there.”

She slung the blade at Rahlin’s prison. A brilliant explosion impacted the diamond. Rain was knocked back onto her butt, and the saber clinked beside her.

No scratches stained the glassy surface.

She scowled and palmed the sword again. She slashed and slashed at the prison. A scratch would appear and regenerate in the next second. Rain’s breathing was heavy when she backed away. Her hand cramped, and her hilt fell from her grip amidst the spasm.

“What _is_ this thing?”

Frustration leaked through her question. She clutched her temples and ruffled her hair beneath her hat. How could she not even cause a dent? She’d struck the same point, too, with no success.

The look she gave Rahlin was helpless. She squeaked, “What do I do?”

Rahlin had suffered thousands of hopeless situations. When faced with the unsolvable, she created new opportunities. Rain’s exhale carried the weight of eons. Her friend Yusei had a mantra like Rahlin’s ability to produce infinite probabilities; he said there was always another solution, another answer.

The problem was having the wits to find it.

“I think a lot about what you would do,” Rain murmured. She couldn’t quite look at her sister. “You’re the smartest person I’ve ever known. It sounds like you were lonely here, too. But, but if you were to be yourself, I bet you’d make lots of friends! I’ve been through situations I’d never had survived myself. Because of my friends, though-”

Her eyes widened, and her breaths paused. Rain sprinted towards the portal and called, “I’ll be right back!”

The portal spit her out in the boardroom. Carpet burn reddened the skin of her arms. She leapt to her feet. The prince, Rahlin’s friend, stared at her. He said, “Is everything alright? I spoke to Bakura when he left-”

“She’s trapped in this glass magic _thing_ and I don’t know how to get her out! Do you have any ideas?”

His eyes drifted up as he thought. His brow set as though an internal debate raged in his mind. The prince nodded to himself. “I have the answer you’re looking for. Take this to her and use the bottom point. It should be able to break any seal.”

The prince removed his golden inverse pyramid necklace and dropped the treasure into Rain’s open palms. Her mouth fell open as she held its weight. “Um. Wow. Thanks-”

Her brows jumped. The prince was a lot shorter all of a sudden. He shut his eyes and shouted, “Give that back!”

“S-sorry!”

Thrusting the chain back towards him had him laxing. He said, “Oh. Really? I thought you were trying to steal it. A bunch of people have tried before.”

“No, no! You just gave it to me- er, if that _was_ you.” She blushed as she wondered if she had mistaken identities for the second time today. “If it makes you feel better, you should keep it.”

The smaller prince shook his head. “If he gave it to you, there must’ve been a good reason. Take it.”

The cold metal landed in her palms again. Chewing her lip, she said, “Mkay. I’ll bring it back as soon as I can.”

She took a step back. He reached for the pyramid, faltered, and scratched the back of his head instead. “Force of habit; I promise! I’ll be waiting at Domino Square, okay? My name’s Yugi, by the way.”

“Yugi. I’m Rain.”

“Rain! My friends told me all about you! Gee, I hardly recognized you with that cute hat on, but you sure do look like Rahlin!”

She beamed to an embarrassing degree. “Thank you! Thanks so much. I’ll get this right back to you, and Rahlin and I will meet you together.”

He slipped his thumbs beneath his backpack straps and grinned. “Sounds perfect. See you then!”

When he left, he seemed far less nervous compared to their initial meeting. Rain observed the golden item in her hands and wondered what made it so important. The eye embedded in the center seemed to stare back. She kept a careful hold on the object as she entered the portal.

Rather than the usual tossing and turning like a nosedive through a hurricane, the portal operated like stepping through a doorway. The change from fluorescent lights to dim torchlight forced her eyes to adjust.

Rahlin awaited.

Rain marched forward. Wavering flames reflected off the gold pyramid. She posted up in front of her imprisoned sister. Rahlin’s pinched face must’ve meant she suffered a horrible nightmare.

An instance of doubt caused hesitation. Bakura’s – no, the Spirit’s – words plagued her. The prince warned her not to linger on them. Ryo’s opinion of Rahlin must have been the truest account. That’s the only explanation why Change of Heart, in the future, managed to…

Rain closed her eyes. The Spirit was trying to trick her, _not_ Rahlin. The Rahlin she knew from the future would never do something like that.

Her hand brushed the white coat at her waist. But that other person, the Rahlin who-

She shook her head. There was _one_ Rahlin, and she had said “I defy your ending” three thousand nine hundred and forty-five times.

It was about time she received the same in return. Rain lifted the prince’s gift. The bottom tip angled towards the diamond. The shutting of Rain’s eyes showed her internal prayer as she drove the inverse pyramid downward.

_Dink_!

She gasped and backed away a step. A single crack had formed. Another stretched beside the first. The break started a slow crawl outward. Rain’s smile grew, and her eyes shone.

A _crash_ sounded behind her. She gulped and wondered what she broke this time. The slow shattering of Rahlin’s prison continued. A voice from behind called, “So _you_ are the familiar presence. What a blessing. Who could have guessed we would meet again so soon, my child?”

Rain’s shoe squeaked as she spun around. The portal had fallen into shards around the newcomer’s feet. The slit pupils of his two turquoise eyes scanned her up and down.

“Rain Orichalcum,” Divine Serpent Geh said. His human form bowed, and fangs showed from his smile. “A warm welcome back to the world of the living.”

“You’re here,” she breathed. “I figured you were trapped in the Spirit World. How did you reach this realm? And what happened to Dartz? I saw his soul on the wall. While we’re at it, do you know what happened to Rahlin, and and-”

“Peace be. I live in the human realm because of the vessel you provided me – that of Dartz Orichalcum. His soul is locked away due to treason. I apologize to have to deliver this truth, but your other half has turned traitor.

“Rahlin turned against me, and I lost a clash of combat on Sealed grounds because of her interference. Since there were two souls within this vessel, I offered up Dartz instead of myself. Naturally, I had to be certain Rahlin would not ruin my plans again. Grace still seems to exist, for I have arrived soon enough to prevent her freedom.”

Rain’s eyes darted between the grooves separating different floor tiles. “You were reaping souls. You and Rahlin. You’re saying she changed her mind?”

The exhale through Geh’s teeth unmasked his fury. “A _change of heart_ , she called it. Blind fool may as well have lost both eyes. I am morbidly curious as to what threw her off track. It is my belief too much mingling with the humans poisoned her state of mind.

“I placed thousands of years of effort into pouring her monstrous soul into a human body. Listen to how she repays me; she claimed her only priority was freeing Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos behind my back. She wasted my gift of time searching for humans to fulfill the conditions of breaking their curse!”

Awe chilled Rain. Rahlin had saved the knights and stopped humanity’s ruin from the inside as a double agent. She couldn’t wait to tackle her sister in a hug and go on about how smart she was to trick Geh, who had the ability to read her and Rain’s emotions.

“And why, pray tell, do my woes bring you such glee?” Geh asked.

Rain, however, was not so shrewd. “I, um, I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t, but it does make me happy to hear about Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos. I still think of them as friends, so…”

Geh loosed a frustrated sigh. “They are monsters, at least. Enough with the turmoil. Allow me to share good news. My child, you hold in your hands the key to fulfilling our purpose. We shall extract and capture the soul in the object you have brought. It is enough to fuel the Great Leviathan all on its own.”

Her head tilted as she observed the golden pyramid in her palms. “A soul? In this?”

“That of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh capable of calling upon the gods,” Geh explained. “He is a powerful human, and the energy of his soul reflects that fact. A petty part of me wishes to see Rahlin freed so I might let her know her foolish act was all for naught. Keep the Millennium Puzzle safe while I re-seal Rahlin’s trap.”

Rain gazed into the Puzzle’s eye. The soul he spoke of – was it the prince? She couldn’t betray him even if she still wanted humanity gone. Like Rahlin, though, she had changed.

No human would be erased on her watch.

“Patron, I have to ask you to reconsider.”

His stride toward her paused. “Reconsider what exactly?”

“I know it seems like it to you, but people aren’t all bad. I’m from the future because I wake up a long time from now. I’ve come to call plenty of humans my friends, and they’ve supported me through thick and thin. You and I both have been tricked into seeing pure evil where there’s good, too.”

Geh’s fist opened. He gazed at the cavern’s dark heights. A drop of seawater fell and burst between his eyes. The drop of water rolled down like a single tear. “My child, this is… harrowing news.”

“Harrowing?”

The sadness scrawled over his features cracked her heart. Geh said, “For both children to be poisoned of mind – a harrowing tale indeed. If you will not give me the Millennium Puzzle, if you choose to defend the mindlost Rahlin, you are forfeiting your own soul.”

“W-what do you-” She dropped the Puzzle so she held onto its chain. “Please, you have to believe me! Nothing’s wrong with Rahlin. She just realized the truth! You could, too, if you took the time to get to know the humans!”

“So a human has never harmed you since you awakened in your future?” Rain’s thoughts raced. Scenes of arrest, torture, brainwashing, abuse, and a horrible crash flashed through her mind’s eye. Geh’s exhale showed disappointment. “I hear the echoes of your pain, my child. You know the truth.”

“The truth is a few mistakes shouldn’t determine humanity’s fate.”

“Similar to the human you thought you loved,” Geh said, “you have been further manipulated. It is alright, my child.”

The duel disk at his wrist extended in its sickle shape. The reaper loomed. “I will free you from your suffering.”


	8. I'll Fight Too

Ryo balled up a wrapper while running and tossed it in a trashcan. He missed, skidded to a stop, and properly placed it in the bin. Despite the snack, his stomach growled as he started into his jog. The Spirit’s nasty habit of doing whatever he wanted as Bakura left Ryo with the repercussions.

That was about to end.

The prongs of the Millennium Ring guided him through the streets. He was beginning to recognize the areas from his Battle City injury. In fact, the place the Ring led him to was none other than the graveyard where the Spirit had procured his locator cards from innocent bystanders.

A hunger pang bit at him. He placed a hand over his abdomen and passed beneath the cemetery gates. The tone of late afternoon spilled golden rays over tilted gravestones. Shadows of crosses fell over dead grass. Moss coated the names of the dead.

Ryo was careful in his steps not to dishonor the fallen. There was a time when gravesites thrilled him. He would fill journal after journal with ideas of who lay side-by-side, why this grave was quarantined, why those blokes were in the mausoleum rather than a plot of dirt.

Interference from the Spirit possessing him had kept him from enjoying anything since the demon first appeared. His regular hobbies inspired fear instead of joy. The mere idea of leaving his apartment for activities frightened him into isolation.

Until Rahlin.

The points hanging from the Ring pointed back the way he came. Ryo shut his eyes. No, not that way. What he desired most in this very moment was to track down the Spirit. Rain would handle Rahlin.

Ryo had his own demon.

The Millennium Ring shifted according to his swayed will. He followed its glowing points towards the doors of a mausoleum. Spiderwebs served as drapery between stone gargoyles, watchdogs of the fallen.

Dirt marred the steps leading deeper. Ryo descended belowground. The yellow glow of his Ring illuminated empty sconces, occupied coffins, and scurrying spiders. A _ringringring_ had him jumping five feet.

“Wh-who’s there?” Ryo said, stepping forward.

Golden light fell upon a silhouette at the edge of Ryo’s sight. The person moved their arm, and the _ringringring_ sounded again. A voice said, “A nifty invention. You walk upon antique grounds. Decades past, the living would oft be buried by mistake. They so frequently uncovered scratch marks on the insides of coffins that a bell was installed in attempt to save those buried alive.”

A shiver racked Ryo’s spine. At the same time, the questions the scenario inspired intrigued him. He rotated his shoulder in its socket and approached the stranger. Their voice sounded too familiar for his liking.

The Ring’s glow scattered the shadows masking them. Bakura’s hand flew to cover his mouth. He faced _himself_ , same outfit, hairstyle, and all. The Spirit must’ve stolen his black raincoat. That and Bakura wearing the ring were the only ways of differentiating the two. He said, “How?”

“Thank your inhuman friend.” The Spirit’s smile said he reveled in Ryo’s surprise. “Whatever Paradox had planned for her was quite the treat. She could’ve been oh-so-powerful if Paradox succeeded. A convenient time for me to appear, wouldn’t you agree? Now, you won’t need to lose control of your own body any longer.”

The Spirit’s grin and left eye widened to an unnerving degree. “You’ll be buried alive, and I’ll gladly take your place!”

Laughter bounced around the suffocating catacombs. Ryo stood straight. “Y-you can’t.”

The Spirit shifted the ringer back and forth, jangling the bell’s melody to his words. “I can’t? What will you do? Stop me as you have oh-so-many times before? Come now. I’ve prepared a coffin and embalmment for you! Would you truly let my hard work go to waste?”

“I know why you did this,” Ryo said. The hurried nature of his heartbeat was something he wanted to keep secret, but his voice shook nonetheless. “Why you lured me here. You have a new body. The Millennium Ring still belongs to _me_. As you’ve showed me with Pegasus, Yugi, and Marik so many times before, the only way for ownership of an Item to change is with a Shadow Game.”

“You did your homework.” A corner of the Spirit’s mouth quirked up. “None of the facts matter if the owner is dead, though.”

“I won’t go down that easily!” Ryo shouted. The increase in volume made his shakiness more obvious. He thrust his arm forward anyway. “I challenge you to a Shadow Game for ownership of the Millennium Ring as my wager! For yours, if I win, your new body will instantly wilt and you’ll never possess again!”

Darkness thickened behind Ryo. Shadows took shape and tinged purple. The shifting dark rushed in waves around the duo, forming a circular arena. The tomb was a round room with cubbies for coffins lining the walls. As the Spirit promised, a single, open coffin lay behind him.

“A command of the shadows, hm,” the Spirit said. “You really have done your homework. My wager makes no sense for you. Have you forgotten? I first possessed you because that teacher was ready to kill you. You’re throwing away the best bodyguard you’ve ever had.”

“That’s far from the truth,” he said, “and even if it weren’t, I’d sooner die than see you torture anyone with your games.”

The Spirit sneered. “Shadow Games have certain stipulations. How about, for each thousand of life points lost, I remove a limb from your beloved inhuman thing?”

“My what?”

Above his open palm, an image flickered. Rahlin floated within her diamond prison. “The thing you seem to believe is human. What do you say? I adore a good game of hangman.”

“No, stop it! This is between you and me!”

Smiling, he scattered the image. “You have control – barely – but you don’t understand the finesse of a Shadow Game. It’s a damn shame they call you by my name. I’m the one who put in the work for the legendary reputation.”

“It’s _my name_!” Ryo shouted.

The Spirit chuckled. Yellow traced the lines of the duel disk on his arm, which swung out upon activation. “We’ll see when you’re buried alongside the dead.”

Ryo peered at the coffins and gulped. His disk, the same, standard white model, activated as well. The shine of the Millennium Ring seemed to brighten as Bakura and his demon shouted:

* * *

**DUEL START!**

“My move,” the Spirit claimed. “I’ll summon Doomcaliber Knight in attack position and set two cards. Finally, I’ll activate my favorite Field Spell: Dark Sanctuary.”

The mausoleum shifted to a blood-red landscape. Realistic eyes drifted through crimson fog in the distance. The sanctuary’s black spires rested upon a rocky precipice. An open mouth with smiling teeth stretched beyond the tallest towers.

The skeletal knight upon a horse galloping in the Spirit’s monster zone sported 1900 attack. Ryo said, “Using the deck I built against me gives me an advantage.”

“You would think.”

Ryo winced and drew his card. “I summon Gozuki and activate his effect!”

Doomcaliber whipped his steed forward and drove the point of his blade through Gozuki’s chest. Both monsters shattered. “When a monster effect is activated, Doomcaliber Knight is tributed to negate and destroy that monster.”

Ryo said, “That’s fine. I discard a Zombie to special summon Jack-o-Bolan from my hand in defense position. I’ll end my turn there.”

A jack-o-lantern materialized on Ryo’s field. The Spirit chuckled. “Are we decorating it next? I’ll have you know I’m skilled at carving all kinds of flesh.”

Roots sprouted from the earth and spat azure flames. The mystical vines carried skeletal arms and a skull from underground. The roots served as the spine and wings for the mismatched monster; twined undergrowth formed a staff carrying a lantern of blue fire. Jack-o-Bolan’s 2200 defense hovered beside its visage.

“How festive you’ve become!” the Spirit said. “I’ll add to the Hallow’s Eve mood. I activate Destiny Board!”

“No,” Ryo muttered.

The Spirit merely laughed and lifted his palms towards the eying sky. The bloody earth opened, and a Ouija board rose from the maw. The metal selector hovered over the letter “F,” which floated above the Spirit’s head.

“And since your turn just ended, Destiny Board will add another letter!”

Steel scraped against wood. The hole in the object stopped over the letter “I,” which formed next to the “F.” The Spirit said, “You have three more turns. See what you can accomplish with them!”

Ryo glanced over the three cards in his hand. Rahlin’s deck wouldn’t let him down.

Would it?

“My turn!” the Spirit said. “I activate my trap, Zoma the Spirit! Zoma is a special brand of trap-monster, meaning-”

Ryo tossed his focus to the side as he murmured, “I know. I put it in there.”

The now-monster sported 500 defense. The Spirit said, “I’ll treat you to a new experience. I tribute Zoma the Spirit to summon Diabound Kernel!”

“I’ll use Jack-o-Bolan’s effect! By removing him from the game until this End Phase, I special summon a Zombie-type from my graveyard. I’ll choose the monster I discarded: Ryu Kokki!”

Skulls served as the building blocks around a set of guts and a beating heart. An open ribcage allowed a peek into the hammering muscle, whose beats seemed to rock the atmosphere. Ryu Kokki’s 2400 attack beat out Diabound Kernel’s 1800.

The way the Spirit’s eyes thinned set Ryo on edge. He never knew his own face to be capable of many expressions the Spirit managed. “I’ll end my turn there. Take your first of three turns.”

At the End Phase, Jack-o-Bolan returned to stand alongside Ryu Kokki. Ryo drew and decided to hold onto the card. “I enter my Battle Phase and attack Diabound Kernel with Ryu Kokki!”

The skeletal abomination rattled forward with uneven steps. Diabound’s white cobra hissed and snapped. Kokki grabbed it by the neck and stabbed his bony fingers through the back of its mouth.

Black blood sprayed, and Diabound melted. Kokki kept on its march. The Spirit awaited. He looked… excited. Ryo nearly called off his attack. Fear kept his throat tight as Kokki lifted his arm and swiped downward. Sharpened bones ripped open the shoulder of the Spirit’s stolen coat. His life counter fell to 3400.

“Er.” Ryo shut his eyes and commanded, “I’m sorry, but Jack-o-Bolan attacks directly!”

The whistle of metal flying through the air coerced Ryo into opening his eyes. Jack-o-Bolan’s blue flames reflected off a coin flipping above the Spirit’s thumb. “Let’s say… tails.”

He caught the coin and slapped it behind his knuckles. He didn’t look at the result, revealing it in a flourish for Ryo to see.

Tails.

“Dark Sanctuary’s effect. You take damage equal to half your monster’s attack!”

A wailing ghost from the distant spires shot like a bullet towards Ryo’s field and infected Jack-o-Bolan. The influenced monster turned on its master and breathed flames. Ryo screamed as the fire consumed him, and his life dropped to 3250.

He doubled over to catch his breath, and his hand hovered over the worst burns on his forearm. It made no sense. The Spirit didn’t use Dark Sanctuary’s effect on the first attack. He had a chance to save Diabound.

The smile on the demon’s face said there were no mistakes made.

Ryo tried to speak, winced, and talked through his teeth. “I end my turn.”

“Destiny Board activates!” The Ouija board’s pointer jittered and moved slowly to encapsulate the letter “N.” Its matching, ghostly form appeared next to the “F” and “I.” “Two more turns. I’m thrilled to witness how you squirm. My turn!”

The grin he gave his drawn card had Ryo’s heart leaping into his throat. The Spirit said, “I activate Dark Spirit’s Mastery by discarding to add Curse Necrofear to my hand. The card I sent to the graveyard just so happened to be Earl of Demise. Remember our old favorite?”

Ryo refused to meet the Spirit’s stare. He laughed and continued, “I now have three Fiends in my grave: Doomcaliber Knight, Diabound Kernel, and Earl of Demise. I banish these three to special summon Dark Necrofear!”

Curtains of shadows parted for Necrofear’s entrance. The broken skull of the doll in its hands oozed gray matter. The doll’s lifeless eyes followed Ryo’s every move. Necrofear stood completely still; the monster’s dipped chin and fierce gaze reminded Ryo of the Spirit.

“At this point, you might be thinking, ‘My monster is stronger! I’m safe!’ If you are capable of thought. Dusting up hope is my favorite hobby. I shuffle the three monsters I banished back into my deck to meet the conditions to special summon my very own Curse Necrofear.”

The details of Curse matched Dark, but its form was ethereal with ghostly tendrils drifting up from its silhouette. Curse’s stats were the inverse of Dark’s with 2800 attack and 2200 defense.

“I- I’ll chain Jack-o-Bolan!” Ryo shouted. His muscles shivered. “I’ll banish him to bring back Gozuki in defense position!”

The bull knelt and held up its hammer as a shield. The Spirit tilted his head as though finding the act of defense cute. “Curse Necrofear attacks Ryu Kokki!”

“When an attack is declared, I can special summon Vampire Fraulein in defense position!” The blonde woman in gothic dress twirled her black umbrella in her hands. Bats squealed above her presence. “When you attack my Zombie while she’s on the field, I can pay life points to increase my monster’s attack. I’ll pay 500!”

Fraulein’s appearance shifted her innocence into bloodthirsty rage. She rushed Ryo and sunk her teeth into his forearm. He yelped, and Ryu Kokki’s 2400 attack boosted to 2900. Kokki smashed Curse Necrofear. See-through blue shards from the monster’s death struck the Spirit, whose life fell to 3300. Ryo’s had dropped to 2750.

“What a service you’ve done me! I’ll move to end my turn.” The broken parts of Curse Necrofear reformed in front of the Spirit. “When Curse Necrofear is special summoned by its own effect because you destroyed it, I can destroy cards on your field equal to how many face-up spells and traps I control. Count them.”

Ryo scanned his three monsters, gulped, and uttered, “Three.”

Curse Necrofear nuked his field. Ryu Kokki and Gozuki were banished from the field due to their resurrection through Jack-o-Bolan. Ryo said, “It’s alright! Jack-o-Bolan is still re-summoned thanks to his effect!”

The Spirit’s smile grew as the pumpkin reformed its roots. “Is it alright?”

Of the Spirit’s two monsters, Dark Necrofear would steal any monster if Ryo happened to defeat it through battle. Curse Necrofear would return if destroyed in any way, and when he came back, Ryo would lose whatever he managed to build up.

While drawing, he offered a wish to the girl in the diamond that she might make everything alright.

“I activate Card of Destruction! I’ll discard my hand and draw the same amount. You don’t benefit since you don’t have a hand!”

The Spirit faked a wound through the heart. Ryo wanted to say something not nice but found no point to it. “A monster I discarded was Glow-Up Bloom, which will let me add a level 5 or higher Zombie to my hand by banishing Bloom. Another was Mezuki. Its effect banishes from the graveyard to special summon a different Zombie from the same place! I’ll bring back Vampire Fraulein!”

The petite lady averted her eyes from Curse Necrofear upon her second summoning. The Spirit raised an eyebrow. “Going to offer up more of your life? Makes my job easier.”

“I tribute Jack-o-Bolan and Vampire Fraulein to summon Doomking Balerdroch!”

A carcass resembling an ouroboros cracked through the rocky ground. Black flesh stretched over the bones. A demon’s skull melded with the creature’s chest. Gigantic skulls served as its shoulder armor. The gold of its spine and teeth of the skulls denoted Balerdroch’s position as royalty. A brilliant ruby dangled from the crook of his harvesting scythe. He slithered back and forth and licked the blade of his scythe. Though Ryo controlled the monster, the gesture rattled him.

“I, er, I’ll use Doomking Balerdroch to attack Curse Necrofear! _Scream of Soul Departure_!”

Pools of ghastly blue formed on the ground. Shades rose and prepared for the Doomking’s command. Curse Necrofear simply smiled and waited.

_Tink_.

A bead of sweat formed on Ryo’s brow. A coin flipped through the scarlet sky. The Spirit said, “Let’s go with heads.”

He caught the coin and placed it on his palm this time. Ryo had to tell himself to take deep breaths to keep himself from collapsing. The result was heads, and Balerdroch commanded his legion to strike Ryo. Phantom blades took shape and left bleeding scratches on his bare skin. His life fell to 1350.

“Set one and pass turn.”

The fourth letter of the Destiny Board, “A,” formed above the Spirit. Two turns wasted. What was he to do? Destiny truly was on the demon’s side. Why else would he be so confident in his coin flips? He faced two impossible-to-out monsters and no way to attack reliably if he could.

Ryo’s breathing hastened. He was going to be buried alive here. He tried to look to the sky for comfort in its endless bounds. Instead he saw the realistic eyes and mouths of Dark Sanctuary watching his doom. His chest caved in.

“It’s finally hit you.” The Spirit fanned himself with the card he’d drawn. “There is no escape. Your pathetic, worthless life ends here. Take heart! It’s not to go to waste. I’ll use your place in the world to alter the course into what it’s meant to be.”

“Whatever your best world is can’t be a positive.” Ryo looked to his hand. “I still have one more turn. Rahlin’s deck won’t let me down!”

“ _That’s_ where the pile of garbage came from! The vile dog continues to be my greatest ally!” His laughter was grating. “One more turn, he says. Why should I wait? Curse Necrofear attacks Doomking Balerdroch!”

The king called upon his legion of souls. The glazed eyes of the doll limp in Curse Necrofear’s arms gazed upon the army. Forest green coated the warriors; ghosts imploded and acid bits spurted onto both monsters. Curse Necrofear melted.

A heavenly shield protected Balerdroch. Ryo said, “I use Waboku! This protects my monsters my destruction by battle and prevents battle damage!”

The Spirit snarled. “Useless! The idiot sister used it, too!”

“Rain and Rahlin both know the value in it, so this card is far from useless!”

The fury in his expression shifted into an easy grin. “I’ll try you. What value can you gain? Let’s find out! Dark Necrofear attacks Doomking Balerdroch!”

Legions of the dead tore down Dark Necrofear’s attack and slashed at the Spirit. His life fell to 2700. “Oh, and I think I’ll play the card I drew: Poison of the Old Man. With it, I’ll increase my life by 1200! Afterwards, let’s move to the End Phase.”

The _ding_ s of his life counter increasing to 3900 masked the pained growls of Balerdroch. He took his head in his hands and rampaged as though to tear off his own skull. The king’s arms slacked. He slithered to the Spirit’s side of the field.

“Dark Necrofear attaches and takes control. Curse Necrofear also returns, but oh, look! You have nothing for me to destroy.”

“You’ve made a mistake,” Ryo said. “You filled up your spell and trap zone with Curse Necrofear. You can’t win at my End Phase.”

“Believe me: that won’t be an issue.”

With his field filled by two 2800 attack monsters, Ryo struggled to disagree. He shut his eyes to try to ignore the piercing stares of the eyes in the sky and those of the demon across the dueling field.

What would his friends say at a time like this? Believe in the heart of the cards, of course. The heart of these very cards happened to belong to a dear friend. Dearer than even he imagined if Rain spoke truly.

Change of Heart. He forgot the dank atmosphere and gloom of the situation for giddiness. Rahlin kept Change of Heart far into the future. Rahlin – he meant something to her. He should’ve realized as much considering her kiss on his cheek before she disappeared, but to hear it from an outsider, to have it confirmed and out there in the open…

Ryo spread his stance and rested his first two fingers atop Rahlin’s deck. Heart of the cards, the best duelist he knew would say. The beating heart of these cards was behind him all the way.

He swiped the top card off his deck. The Spirit’s smirk remained as Ryo peeked at what that heart had offered. His eyes widened. The Spirit said, “Oh? Don’t keep me in suspense now. You’re _killing_ me.”

“This card-” His exhale developed a tiny laugh. “This will let me do anything!”

“Come again?”

“I activate Foolish Burial!” Ryo said. “With it, I can send any card in my deck to the graveyard. I know just the one – Necroworld Banshee!”

A girl with ghost-white skin and hair stumbled between gravestones. Wisps of white souls followed her path. Her white dress clung to her dirtied knees. Ryo said, “Before I use her effect, I’m playing Zombie Necronize! Since a level 5 or higher Zombie-type is on the field, I can take control of a monster of yours. I’m stealing back Doomking Balerdroch for this turn!”

The Spirit chuckled and thinned his eyes as blue flames enticed Balerdroch back to Ryo’s field. “And here I thought myself the king of thieves.”

“With Balerdroch on my field, you have no way of stopping Necroworld Banshee’s effect. By banishing her, I activate the Field Spell, Zombie World!”

The pale girl shrieked. Purple gas streamed from her body like expelled poison. The dark spires and eyes of Dark Sanctuary were blocked out by the new Field. Ryo said, “Every monster on the field and in the graveyard is now Zombie-type. I’ll next be summoning Shiranui Solitaire and tributing him for effect. I can special summon any tuner from my deck that has zero defense!”

“…A what now?”

“I choose Uni-Zombie!” Ryo said. “Uni-Zombie will let me target a monster on my field and increase its level by one. I choose Doomking Balerdroch. The cost of doing so is sending a monster from my deck to the graveyard. I’ll select Mezuki!”

“Which is the one that-”

“Removes itself from play to special summon a different Zombie in the grave, like Shiranui Solitaire!”

The Spirit scoffed and crossed his arms. “A pretty combo for a string of weak monsters. Are you trying to impress the dead dog?”

Ryo hated that the jab had him prickling. His voice was louder than usual when he said, “I’m going to Synchro Summon!”

“ _You_?” The tone in which he hissed the word unveiled anger of a how-dare-you variety.

All Ryo wanted was to erase that rage and hatred the Spirit brought into the world. He threw his arms forward, shut his eyes, and exclaimed, “Uni-Zombie and Shiranui Solitaire become Red-Eyes Zombie Necro Dragon!”

Uni-Zombie and Shiranui Solitaire shattered into ashes. Seven bulbs of azure fire blazed where their bodies once were. The seven swirled into a unified pillar and spun as a cerulean tornado.

The spreading of black wings ended the storm. Azure cinders rained. Drapes of blue flame served as Necro’s wing webbing. The gleam of its scarlet eyes cut through Zombie World’s dense fog. The indigo fire with the Field Spell’s purple crafted a gradient of morbid beauty.

“So you played a white card,” the Spirit handwaved. “It’s 2400, weak as all the other Red-Eyes.”

“Red-Eyes Zombie Necro Dragon’s effect activates! It gains 100 attack and defense for each Zombie-type on the field and in the graveyard, which is every monster for both of us!”

The field had Red-Eyes Zombie Necro Dragon and Doomking Balerdroch on Ryo’s side. The Spirit had Curse Necrofear and no monsters in his graveyard. Ryo’s had Shiranui Solitaire, Uni-Zombie, Jack-o-Bolan, and Vampire Fraulein.

“Necro Dragon gains a total of 700 attack and defense, bringing his total to 3100!”

The Spirit’s teeth grit. He growled, “Fine. Fine! Wipe out my monster and a chunk of my life points. For that combo, I suppose you’ve earned it!”

Ryo’s eyes tilted. “You really must think I’m pathetic. Just attacking and destroying your Curse Necrofear wouldn’t be enough. I don’t have enough attack power to win with these monsters. Curse Necrofear will return and destroy my monsters, and besides that, Doomking Balerdroch will change back to being in your control.”

The Spirit stuffed his hands in his pockets and smiled. “Ah, you caught me.”

“After all I’ve done, you truly don’t think enough of me that I’d execute a combo with that win condition in mind.” The Spirit’s brow lifted. Ryo decided on gifting him the answer he so desired. “I attack Curse Necrofear with Red-Eyes Zombie Necro Dragon!”

Bluish hellfire erased the monster from his board. Ryo said, “Necro Dragon’s special effect can now trigger. I can special summon a Zombie-type from either graveyard to my field since a Zombie was destroyed by battle.”

“You jest!” he spat. “Curse Necrofear is a Fiend!”

“You’re forgetting about my Field Spell. Everything on the field and in the graveyards are Zombies, so I have my pick! I’m taking back Curse Necrofear like I’m taking back _everything you took from me_!”

Curse Necrofear entered the battlefield on a chariot of cerulean fire. The twitching of the Spirit’s face showed his fear and his fury all at once. Ryo’s shoulders heaved with emotion. “Doomking Balerdroch and Curse Necrofear attack you directly to take you out of this world forever!”

Curse Necrofear rushed forth among the army of the Doomking’s commanded ghouls. Their weapons slashed his limbs, drawing pints of blood. Curse Necrofear demanded more. The reclaimed monster ripped apart the Spirit’s body limb by limb. His screams echoed throughout the underground catacombs. Each disembodied limb stained black and faded to ashes upon leaving his body. It was as though the shadows themselves fed upon their claim.

Bile rose in Ryo’s throat. He wanted to look away but found he couldn’t. Despite everything, hefty guilt plagued him. He grasped his own elbows and shuddered. _He’d_ done that. He’d cast out his own demon, but…

He shook his head. There shouldn’t have been a “but.” His friends wouldn’t be attacked any longer by the insane Spirit. He’d never have to fear leaving his home. He could make more friends and grow closer to more people.

Light laughter tumbled past his lips. Being afraid wasn’t something he had to do anymore.

Ryo stepped forward and rang the saving bell in the mausoleum.

He was alive.


	9. Who Would Be God

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's a particular part towards the end of this chapter. If you've only read UtAT, you won't recognize THAT person. I wanted to pre-note this in case you feel lost. You might just be able to piece together who they are anyways, though. Hope y'all enjoy :D

Joey had sprinted back and forth across at least twenty blocks in the past half-hour. He stopped back at Domino Square and doubled over. A friendly voice from the clock tower said, “You’ll breathe better if you stand up straight, actually!”

“Yug!” he exclaimed, breathless. “Tell me ya saw somethin- ay! Where’d the Puzzle go?”

“Oh!” His hands moved to his chest and grabbed empty air instead of the regular shiny gold pyramid. “I’m waiting here because the Puzzle’s Spirit lended it to Rain. She’s supposed to bring it back to the Square.”

“And you _believe it_?”

Yugi twisted the toe of his sneaker into the concrete. “I know you have a bias, Joey, but she was really nice. I mean it. Hey, you look beat. Why don’t we grab a bite to eat together?”

Joey huffed through his nostrils and ran a hand through his mane of golden hair. “Aight, but you’re buying.”

The little guy just laughed. What a charmer. Joey was able to smile. Kid was too pure. All the times the Puzzle got jacked and he gives it away. Whatever brand of bananas he was Joey never wanted to buy.

They passed their favorite burger joint. Yugi said, “Looks kinda busy, so the wait might be- oh, geez! Joey! Is that Bakura?”

He leaned over Yugi to get a better look. The white-haired dude was scarfing down burgers like when they found him raiding the Battle City blimp kitchens. Joey held a flat hand against the corner of his mouth and said, “Think he’ll let us at his table?”

“Of course! He’s our friend!” Yugi burst through the front doors and ran to Bakura’s booth. Joey followed at a more reasonable pace. Truth be told, his legs were killing him. “Hi there, Bakura!”

His gorging halted for the briefest of greetings. Joey said, “Mind if we join ya, bud? Been a long day.”

“It’d be my pleasure!” Bakura said with that sickeningly sweet smile. Joey wondered if he would be as popular with the ladies if they knew he could be possessed at any moment.

Yugi woulda gotten onto him for even thinking that, so he pushed the thought away. Joey cleared his throat. “Ay. You kinda dipped back there. We were tryna figure out where that dude Paradox went.”

“What now?”

“Pair-a-docks,” Joey repeated. “Big dude, bigger hair, biggest motorcycle. C’mon, man, that’s gotta jog your memory!”

“Right,” Bakura murmured. His hands were free of foodstuffs for the first time since they arrived. “I’m afraid I never personally met him. That was the Spirit, but he’s gone now. He won’t ever bother you again.”

“Nice,” was all Joey said.

But Yugi jumped to his feet. “You mean it? Did something happen?”

“Something good!” Bakura said. “And Rahlin is coming back, too! Let’s celebrate!”

Yugi broke out into joyous laughter. Joey kept his arms crossed. Soul-stealing chick coming back was _not_ a means for celebration. “So ya have no idea about Paradox? What about my Red-Eyes?”

Bakura offered that sweet smile of his. “Something tells me that, wherever he ends up, it’ll be taken care of.”

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Verdant shades twisted into soft lavenders. The miniature aurora warped space and time, creating a portal. A massive, white duel runner sped through. Paradox’s brakes left scorch marks upon the dirt.

He arose from his chariot and strode towards the edge of a deep crater. Loosing a sigh, he lifted his head to watch the sherbet sky. The Malefic Energy he worked so hard to gather was gone. Stolen.

Tears pricked the corners of his eyes. He had failed god. He was humanity’s last hope, a bastion for the survival of his race, and he _failed_. Paradox blinked away the tears. No giving up. God would scold him.

He turned back towards his runner. He could go back. He could _always_ go back.

_BOOM_.

Black smoke stained the pastel sky. Shrapnel littered the wasteland. Paradox shielded his eyes as he looked directly into the flaming mess that once was his duel runner. His chance for the future, his escape, his hope, his _everything_ had exploded into bits.

“Oh, no!”

The sarcastic cry originated from beyond the wreckage. Paradox rounded the mess, his steps wary. This area had been abandoned for years. The layout was flat dirt into trash dumps. Not a soul should have been there.

Yet there sat a man in a lawn chair with a soda in his hand. His wide grin said he was _enjoying_ himself. The stranger continued: “What a spectacular coincidence! The exact spot you braked at just so happened to have a load of buried bombs beneath it!”

Paradox clenched his fists. “You- who are you? Some sort of future-destroying, foundation-desolating terrorist?”

The stranger adjusted his shades, flashed a grin, and said, “Sorta.”

The tirade Paradox nearly started into would’ve lasted until the human was rotted flesh on a skeleton. The oddness of the stranger’s actions gave him pause; the terrorist peered to his right, clicked his tongue, and began a one-sided conversation.

“Heartless? Me? It’s a bit of fun. Ever had it? No, I’m not mocking you. Maybe I am. Whatever. Fine. You take it from here. My part’s done.”

He pushed up from his lawn chair and drew a revolver from his belt. Paradox took up a defensive position. The stranger spun the firearm on his finger and set it on his wrist. The barrel split into the zones of a duel disk. The card he removed from his inner coat pocket was handled with noticeable care. Gently, he placed the monster on his duel disk.

A font of light burst from the barren earth. A brilliant, white blade formed among the luminescence. Darkness sewed a knight’s silhouette. The monster took up the sword. A black cape fluttered behind the knight’s march.

The instant the knight stepped away from the light, she cast aside her blade and helmet. White hair spilled down her shoulders. A six-pointed star filled her left iris. Paradox’s inhale hissed. He said, “Come to brag on your win?”

She shook her head. “My name is Rahlin. I’d like to talk to you about the future.”

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Rahlin and Paradox sat with their legs dangling over the crater. They talked about the complicated stuff. Conversations drifted by: of timelines, the particulars of time travel, the purpose of Malefic Energy, the fate of the future, the nature of humanity, and a castle in the sky belonging to who would be god.

The blush sky shifted to blood orange. The sun’s disk wavered on the western horizon. Rahlin stared into the crater’s depths, and Paradox watched the dying light. He said, “I see. The future I wanted and cycle0001, then, are one and the same. I have to do… nothing. I am not responsible for anything. What a- a light feeling this is.”

An azure butterfly flitted around Rahlin’s shoulders. She crooked a finger, and the butterfly alighted on the knuckle. “I believe Z-ONE felt the same.”

“My preparations must have taken too long if god’s castle had already appeared. Strange. When I was young, my parents said blessings arrived in disguise. I thought them foolish old bags.”

“As children do.”

Paradox chuckled. “Tell me. How much time do I have left?”

“I have no way of knowing. The moment the timeline is locked hinges upon Rain’s actions in the past.”

“This timeline and the brightest future are not yet assured?”

“Technically, no,” Rahlin said. “You exist here as long as there are branches.”

Paradox said, “When I disappear, we know the correct actions have been taken.”

Her head rocked back and forth. The butterfly took flight. “Yes, but bad things could happen.”

“Such as?”

Her sigh left her shoulders sagged. “I worry about Rain.”

Don’t we all, he wanted to add from the side, but it wasn’t his conversation. This was about the two smart people. He crossed his arms behind his head and kept listening. Paradox said, “What- is this?”

He threw a glance over his shoulder to observe the pair. Holes appeared in Paradox’s form like fire eating paper. The tips of his fingers were see-through. He held them up and watched the sunset through them.

Tears streamed down his face as he smiled and clutched his wrist.

“We’ve won,” he eked out.

Paradox vanished.

The silence that settled was eerie. Rahlin kept watching the crater’s darkness. He cleared his throat. “Damn. Never woulda guessed he was a ghost the whole time. Hella plot twist.”

“I hope that’s not your attempt at a joke.”

“What would you do if it was?”

“I would tell you it’s not very funny.”

He faked a wound. She managed a smile. “Paradox was not a ghost. He _is_ a memory.”

“Didn’t leave a lasting impression on me.”

“And you are the memory of someone awfully cruel.”

“True.”

He plopped down beside Rahlin. The butterfly flittered in a circle around the both of them. She whispered, “You know I don’t mean that.”

“I know.” They sat far enough apart to leave Paradox’s space empty. “What did you mean about Rain?”

“Nothing special. The normal worries one would have about the safety of their family. The future is never assured, correct? I won’t know anything until I see her again.”

“She’ll be fiiine.”

“Ha. You’re the last person I expected to say so.”

He folded his sunglasses into the collar of his shirt and flopped down on his back. Dust stirred. He threaded his fingers beneath the base of his skull. “I’m more worried about past you. Seriously, you’re telling these stories about being dragged into an oil puddle by a dragon arm and still expect the best.”

She touched her lip. Her focus drifted up to the sky. Night captured half, and stars appeared over the east. “Oh. With Paradox gone… Kalin?”

“Me.”

She showed a small smile. “Could I tell you about my time in Domino City?”

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_

**./from a machine’s journal**

What is the song of isolation?  
A heartbeat, perhaps – that which can only be heard when alone.  
Too many situations leave my pulse thrumming in my eardrums.  
Attempting to craft the song of isolation myself proved fruitless.  
Rises and dips of notes cannot accurately share loneliness.  
  
It struck me on any old day of the week.

The song of isolation is a scrape in the distance  
one might mistake for a rap on the door  
or a ring of the phone  
until I realize  
no one  
would

_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Her body sank like a stone. The darkness went on forever. The dragon tearing at her became two, three, four, five. She struggled to escape their sharp claws at first. When she stopped counting the hours she’d been trapped, her struggling halted.

The slices at her limbs aimed to drain every drop of red blood from her body. The black ink filled the losses. All the while, the dragons screeched in pain as though sharing her suffering. She shut her eyes and longed to cover her ears. Stronger arms than hers held her wrists hostage.

The tortured dragons dragged her deeper and deeper.

Why should she hope for any more? She’d given up long ago. When Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos were still cursed, she swore she’d never have a chance to free them. After their miraculous recovery, she longed to escape the Gilded Gate. Perhaps Timaeus was correct; perhaps her wish was her bane.

Why did she want to escape the Gate? She wasn’t close with other Duel Monsters. She spent her time mourning the three knights-turned-dragon. What was it that kept her staring outside, reaching for freedom she’d never attain?

There was something she wanted dearly and desperately, but she couldn’t remember what it was. The first years of her life, she was complacent as to be a slave to others. The knights’ fates and her hand in them changed her.

She didn’t know her own name or her role in the world, but by all the stars in the seasky’s foam, she would defy gods to achieve her goals. That was what she decided and what defined her existence more than any name could.

The Gilded Gate may have been a peaceful rest, but she never wanted rest. The knights were a cause to fight for. Being trapped stole away any drive she had.

At least, it should have. The odd return of Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos left her restless. What was the time period she had forgotten called? Right – the Domino Incident, Timaeus had said. He said she walked among the humans for a time.

That explained the single memory she retained: an image of a silver-haired boy sitting beneath an apple tree. Her mysterious blaze of defiance, her longing to escape her cage, her unexplainable _want_ of _something_ all traced back to that image.

A dragon tore open the skin of her wrist and screamed. Her blood appeared black in the low light.

She squinted.

Light?

Far above, the surface had cracked. White spilled through. _Plink_ s sounded from on high. Green shards fell past her, pelting the iridescent wing webbing of the dragon to her right. Mist the color of emeralds floated in her direction like smoke in the wind. The verdant fog soaked into her open wounds. Every one of her muscles tensed. Her wide-open eyes shivered in their sockets.

Rahlin remembered.

A serpentine tail curled around her wrist. She snapped her arm out of the dragon’s grip and reached her palm towards the crack of light. The monsters swiftly caught her in their clutches again, but she knew her call had been heard.

The white above shifted to blue. A single butterfly the color of the daytime sky circled downward. The daintiness of the insect unraveled the logic of whatever hell she’d been tossed into.

The sight of her butterfly brought back her last words to Ryo.

Those words…

Her fingers curled into fists. The butterfly was within reach. The starry dragon gripped her right arm, and a mechanical monster gnawed on her calves. The one bearing the seven colors of the rainbow kept her right wrist held tight. Her own Blue-Eyes White Dragon opened its maw so its fangs would pierce her eyes.

Those words would not be their last.

She ripped her arm out of the starry dragon’s hold and crushed the butterfly in her grip. Blue flames raced across her limbs. Her white sword blazed into existence. The tortured dragons shied away from the light.

The Legendary Knight of Destiny bared her blade at her captors. In an unheard whisper, she pleaded, “Wait for me a little longer.”

The starry one surged at her. She drove the sword through its skull. She kicked off its head and swam towards the surface. The light beckoned. Metal tendrils wrapped around her ankles. She sliced them off. The three-headed dragon whined and lashed out. She decapitated the central head. The other two shied away. The seven-colored dragon stayed beside it.

Rahlin dragged herself towards the light. She kept her hilt between her teeth as she stroked skyward. The cracks were an arm’s breadth away. Her hand brushed the stony top of hell.

A roar deafened her. She spun and took her sword in her hands. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon gathered energy in its jaws. Rahlin braced herself. The dragon spat energy. The blast destroyed the cracked area. Stone debris sank like she had.

Rahlin saluted the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and swore to erase the pain glimmering in its irises.

She reached through the hole and pulled herself up. Her fingernails scraped wooden boards. She clawed and clawed to escape the nightmarish black. The substance clinging to her weighed tons. Her hands lost grip, and she fell back into the darkness.

Her sword fell faster than she did. The dragons dipped their snouts as it passed.

Her teeth clenched. She swam upward and tried again. The slippery oil caused her to lose purchase. A _splash_ sounded as she collapsed. Whenever she got a hand to break the surface, one of her legs refused to cooperate.

Something firm supported her. The Blue-Eyes offered its head to stand on. Shock paralyzed her. The starry and mechanical dragons she had wounded offered their support, too. Altogether, the three lifted her out of the dark.

On the other side, she gasped for air. The inky substance slithered off of her as though it was oil and she water. She checked her arms for wounds. They were covered by a fine, black suit. No; it couldn’t be. She tried to stand and stumbled. The same leg was crippled. She reached for her left eye and touched soft cloth.

This was her human form with which she walked Domino City, but why? How? She sat on her knees and observed her surroundings. Her breaths paused.

Before her was a stage and a grand, white throne. The large doors behind her would be impossible to open in her condition. That left her alone with and unable to escape the large figure sitting atop the white throne’s high back.

“Your trap didn’t work!” she shouted. No response. “Any attempt to try to keep me down will fail!”

Silence. Her head tilted the slightest amount. “Is… anyone there?”

The fabric of the figure’s robes shifted over their massive shoulder pads. Fingertips appeared near the sides of the throne’s back. “You’re here.”

The voice was metallic and raspy as though garbling through a speaker system. Rahlin forgot herself and attempted to stand. Her bum leg was like lead. She grimaced and said, “Who are you? What is this place?”

“This place is an anomaly of ‘maybes’ and ‘what ifs.’ Imagine a fork in a river. This is where it is decided which path the proverbial flotsam takes.”

“I- I don’t understand,” Rahlin said. “This is just a room.”

“Au contraire.”

The white floor flipped in inch-by-inch tiles, changing the landscape. Wind tossed her hair. The material beneath her altered to dark red steel. The ceiling darkened, and the source of illumination came from below rather than above.

Air escaped her lungs. Rahlin was atop the construction crane she had scaled with Ryo. The glowing advertisements, ships skimming the bay, and shape of moon matched that night.

The mysterious voice boomed around her: “This realm is owned by those who exist within its bounds.”

“Like the Gilded Gate,” Rahlin said, breathless. “Why are we here, though? What does it mean?”

“The timeline is in suspension due to two branches being of equal chance. This will soon change, and my existence will fade. When it does, you will be freed from this miraculous imprisonment.”

“You mean you’re dying? Why?”

Rahlin blinked, and the prisoner appeared ahead of her at the edge of the crane. The prisoner sat in the same position as on the throne with their back to her. The scratchy voice said, “The concern plaguing your tone has no root. We met moments ago, and you have no inkling of my character. Rejoice in your soon-to-arrive freedom.”

She ducked her head and pursed her lips. “You seem awfully calm about dying.”

“Yes.”

The callousness of the prisoner’s words prickled her. She straightened her stance and shot the prisoner a firm look. “The world is wide and humanity is abundant. One cannot run out of purposes to live for.”

“Finally you speak with logic,” the prisoner said. “I am not inclined to battle that which is inevitable and inherently good, so I am at peace with fading.”

“You must have performed mortifying acts to feel that way,” Rahlin murmured. The prisoner offered no response. “I understand, though. I have made grand mistakes and paid the proper dues as is honorable.”

“Honor,” the prisoner repeated. “Would you be willing to entertain an old fool?”

Another zephyr passed. Rahlin had to tear her gaze away from Domino City and her mind away from memories. “Entertain how?”

“Would you be willing to tell me about yourself?”

The simplicity of the inquiry took Rahlin back. “That’s, er, a broad question.”

“Start with the basics. What is your name?”

“Rahlin Orichalcum.”

A weight slumped the prisoner’s shoulders and the same burdened their words. “Rahlin. Regale me with the most impactful moments in your past, and explain your aspirations towards the future.”

She slacked so her legs sprawled. “In the recent past, I went through experiences that challenged my world view. I’m glad to say my opinions changed. For the future, I’ve… always wanted to be a scientist like my brother. It’s more like a distant dream. My environment isn’t conductive towards that sort of future.”

“The unknowable nature of the future should give you hope, then,” the prisoner said. Strange for the person so accepting of their death to bring up hope, Rahlin thought. “I am something of a scientist myself.”

Her mouth opened slightly. “What kind?”

“Hm. I would self-identify as researching and inventing being my first priority.”

Rahlin’s hand spread on the floor as though wishing to crawl forward. “Have you invented anything?”

“Yes.”

The pause left her tenser and tenser. “Do you not want to explain?”

“Years and years ago, I worked on a renewable energy project.” The prisoner’s head dipped. “One of many failures.”

“What happened?”

The hands on either side of the prisoner lifted, disappearing behind their large frame. Their shoulders hunched. The tiles beneath Rahlin flipped like a chameleon’s scales to rearrange the scenery.

She glanced up from the dark linoleum floor and had to stop herself from falling backwards.

A man in a lab coat with black hair spiked up on the sides reached for her. He was frozen in time like the rest of the scattered actors. All wore white lab coats like the man before her. A burst of rainbow light behind him outlined his frame like a saint in a stained-glass window.

Rahlin dragged herself a smidge to the right to see the kaleidoscope glow’s source. Sparks flew from a massive, cylindrical device in the center of the room. Breaks in the containing glass suggested the object was on the verge of destruction.

A blond-haired man with a manic grin pressed his palm on the contraption’s control unit. Everyone else had looks of horror, including the man reaching for Rahlin. She said, “What is this?”

“My perspective of a sweeping error,” the prisoner said. “The reactor you see spun out of control due to its corrupt creators. I and many others contributed to the project, which envisioned a ‘clean’ energy source as they call it. Everyone you see in this memory passed away in the explosion.”

Rahlin looked into the spiky-haired man’s blue eyes. “Everyone?”

“The winding road the future takes cannot be foreseen,” the prisoner said. “At our best, we react swiftly to disaster and recover. What is optimal is not so simple. The human condition implies that scarring mistakes take years and years of adjustment. This accident taught me that the mind is not so resilient as the body. Do you agree?”

Her eye studied the ground as though the answer lay in the tile’s simple pattern. “I’m not sure. The mind always has hope to recover. For injuries to the body, it is not so.”

She wanted to stand up. Instead she remained bound to the earth, her eye glued to the dead man’s. The prisoner’s voice boomed around her. “You would say your mind is stronger than your body?”

After years and years of loneliness and guilt, after dragging herself out of a hopeless pit of black ink, Rahlin said, “I do.”

“Your belief is admirable. I could learn from you,” said the prisoner. “If only there was more time. An amusing coincidence: I felt the same about the scene spread before you.”

“You mean you could have done something about it?”

“I tried everything to change this resolution. Some fates are set in stone.”

“I refuse to believe that!” Rahlin shouted. “It could be different. It always could! The same goes for what you think will kill you!”

Silence stretched on. Rahlin found herself studying the faces of the deceased and pondering their lives – what they left behind. The prisoner’s voice was softer when they said, “Honor this old fool if you may. I would like to offer a kernel of wisdom my age taught me.”

“Such as?”

“Believing yourself invincible only takes you so far,” the prisoner said. “There is power in admitting the impossible exists. Sometimes the solution is to give up.”

“I c…” Rahlin shook her head. “No, I can’t imagine giving up.”

“Scientists are meant to have open minds, are they not?” the prisoner said. “I also have learned nature works in a certain brand of balance. A loss in one aspect strengthens another. You may think me a forlorn and lost soul, and you may be correct. The reason for my resignation, however, is because the natural law states only one individual survives the fork in the timeline.”

Realization sobered Rahlin like a splash of ice-cold water.

“The limits of this place are only what our imaginations come up with, right?” Rahlin said, her words tumbling over each other. “We can create something, some world where the both of us can-”

The area changed. The reactor’s illumination shifted to sparse light from starfoam in the Spirit World’s nighttime seasky. Rahlin rested atop the bell tower, which looked down upon patches of farmland and fields of flowers. The bells swung back and forth but produced no sound. Between their sways, she spotted an individual sitting on the opposite side of the tower.

Holes formed in them and slowly ate away at their silhouette.

The prisoner’s voice crossed the bells. “Are you aware of the Law of Infinite Probability?”

Rahlin struggled to think. “That- anything is possible?”

“I enjoy your interpretation. In a more formal description, the Law of Infinite Probability states that the percent chance of an event occurring – no matter how small – gradually increases as time stretches on. I see this in the same way as you; I see Infinite Probability as a statement of hope sown into natural law. The chance of your future was slim. You live on all the same. This realm is not where you belong. Enjoy the life you deserve, Rahlin Orichalcum, and transform those aspirations of yours into reality. The world is yours to defy.”

Panic befell Rahlin as she searched for any comforting words for this final person, who always seemed to know what to say to leave a lasting impact. The pendulum of the bells revealed the prisoner’s movement. Their arm lifted and portions of their cloak disappeared.

In their hand was the distinct shape of a violin’s bow.

“That was you playing earlier,” she surmised. The tune from the time that felt like centuries ago, when Rahlin entered the white throne room and was dragged into the black realm, must have been played by the prisoner. “I- I hope that, one day, I can play as beautifully as you!”

The prisoner threw their head back.

Their face mask had disappeared completely. A bright eye beneath their hood landed on Rahlin. Their mouth curved into the gentlest smile. The expression was simple yet conveyed thousands of brilliant and fulfilling futures.

The three words they spoke left a forever mark upon Rahlin.

Their voice. Their _voice_ …

The prisoner faded into sparkles on an unassuming breeze. Sound restored to the bells. Their _bong_ s rang out as a forceful, supersonic impact that catapulted Rahlin’s body off the tower. Rather than watching the sky, she faced the earth during her descent. She fell towards a patch of blue tulips.

Holding onto the prisoner’s hopeful smile, Rahlin braced for impact with determination.

The melody of the bells followed her home.


	10. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hero comes home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a double feature, meaning it's twice the length of ordinary chapters!

The hastening of Rain’s breaths echoed throughout Atlantis’s underwater catacombs. She gripped the Millennium Puzzle’s chain and scooted back a step, two. Her shoulder blade brushed the lavender diamond trapping Rahlin. The quiet sound of the growing cracks in Rahlin’s prison rung out every minute.

Rain squared her shoulders. If she could buy enough time for Rahlin to be freed, Rain could pass off the Puzzle to her. Rahlin would find a way out. She always had a solution. Rain could use the bracelet at her wrist to escape, but Geh would trap Rahlin again – likely in a stronger prison than her current state.

Rain threw the Puzzle’s chain around her neck, activated her Chaos duel disk, and said, “You won’t lay a finger on my sister or my friend!”

“Your ill-placed conviction brings to mind revolutions throughout human history. Those downtrodden in society seek reform. Violence is their weapon, and blood cakes their guillotines. Revolutions often eat themselves alive due to the power grab from those who sparked the reforms. This is the nature of the humans you protect.”

“Not where I’m from,” she said. “My friends are humans, yet they changed their society by living the acceptance and unity they wanted to see in the world. They didn’t have to use any of the violence you guided me into, hypocrite.”

A sinister smile stretched his lips. “Was it wrong to allow you the vengeance you desired? Tell me, my child. Do these ‘friends’ of yours know of the buckets of blood staining your skin?”

Without missing a beat, she said, “Yes.”

“You are too far lost, my child. I will see our dream to fruition with or without you. I activate the Seal of Orichalcos!”

Neon bled over the damp tiles. The green turned the duelists’ pale skin sickly. Seeing the six-pointed star used against her turned Rain’s insides to ice. “I- I created this for you!”

“And it shall be your undoing,” he stated. “I summon Orichalcos Malevolence in attack position and end my turn.”

Molten stone dripped off the gargoyle crawling onto Geh’s field. Lava left the stone floor steaming. The Seal of Orichalcos formed on the monster’s forehead, boosting its 1500 attack to 2000.

“My turn! I’m summoning Vanguard of the Dragon! His effect increases his attack by discarding a Dragon-type. I discard two so he gains 600 points. The White Stone of Legend hit the graveyard, so I get to add a Blue-Eyes White Dragon to my hand!”

Decaying scales gifted power unto Vanguard, whose 1700 attack increased to 2300. Rain said, “You’re not getting away with anything! Vanguard attacks Orichalcos Malevolence!”

The beefed-up monster lobbed his spear, which ripped a hole through the lava gargoyle. Geh’s life fell to 3700. Geh said, “The effect of Orichalcos Nihil in my hand activates. I special summon Nihil since you destroyed my Orichalcos monster. Child, I thought your time in the future would improve your skills at the card game.”

Rain’s upper lip hopped in a snarl. “You’re quick to treat me like an enemy. My turn’s over.”

“My resentment for your other half piles ever higher, _child_ ,” he hissed, “and you are fortunate enough to receive the brunt. I tribute Orichalcos Nihil for Timeater.”

Rain had never seen her former patron act so emotional. The scorched-earth type of anger he now showed shocked her; she tried to hide it but understood he could read her feelings nonetheless.

She hadn’t believed him to be prideful, either, yet Rahlin pulling the wool over his eyes left him _this_ furious? She shook her head and focused on the field. A muscular blue golem stomped, causing a tremor in Atlantis. The clock embedded in his chest _tick_ ed and _tock_ ed. Timeater’s 1900 attack increased to 2400, 100 more than Vanguard’s.

“Timeater battles Vanguard of the Dragon!”

The clock spun out of control. The glass cover cracked. The golem bellowed and charged. He batted Vanguard towards Rain. Her monster collided with her, sending her sprawling to the floor. Her life fell to 3900. Geh said, “Turn end.”

Her hand remained on her aching abdomen as she stood. Sweat beaded her face. The duel with Paradox had done more of a number on her than she realized. Geh fawned, “Dear child, remember folding is always an option in Duel Monsters.”

A _crack_ sounded from behind her. Rain swiped a card off her deck. “I control no monsters, so at my Standby Phase, I can special summon the Totem Dragon I discarded with Vanguard.”

“And now you are given a choice.” The word hissed on its way out. “Timeater destroyed one of your monsters. Your Main Phase is now skipped. Choose to enter your Battle Phase or your End Phase.”

“Eh?”

The clock on the monster’s chest rotated madly. Rain’s head spun. “My- my Battle Phase! That way I’ll still have my Main Phase 2, which I’ll immediately move to!”

“Little good it will do.” Geh threw up his hands and shook his head. “I have studied you for ages, child. You focus on blowout attacks to eliminate your opponents. I play a slower game. Your tactics are predictable and avoidable.”

A laugh rocked her shoulders. “Consider me kinda different than the child you remember! I’m activating the Eye of Timaeus!”

Through his teeth, he said, “ _You_ have Timaeus?”

“I combine him with Totem Dragon to create Timaeus, Tamer of Dragons!” The feathers sprouting from Timaeus’s cranium resembled a shaman’s headdress. His cobalt scales shifted to a rustic design, and his wings sported bright primary colors in traditional patterns. The dragon held his forearms in an “X” to show his defense position. At 2000 defense, he wouldn’t be able to stop Timeater.

Rain said, “I activate his first effect! By discarding a Dragon-type, I can add one a level higher or lower from my deck to my hand. I choose to add Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon!”

Timaeus’s call resembled a flute’s whistle. Rain took a card in her hand between her first and second fingers. A sleight of hand showed the card to Geh. “Revealing the Blue-Eyes White Dragon in my hand allows me to special summon Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon!”

Shocks of black darkened Alternative’s hide and wings in a lightning pattern. Rain said, “Alternative’s second effect! By giving up his attack this turn, I can target a monster of yours and destroy it! _Burn Stream of Destruction_!”

Azure flowed through the dark, jagged lines upon Alternative’s scales. Alternative’s wings spread wide. Blue snaked forward as jolts of lightning and impaled Timeater. The monster didn’t stagger. The holes made by the attack filled back in. Rain’s jaw dropped.

“When Orichalcos Nihil is used as tribute,” Geh explained, “the tribute summoned monster cannot be destroyed.”

Couldn’t be destroyed period meant battle wouldn’t work, either. Rain took hold of the cool metal of the ring on her fourth finger and rotated it once, twice. “I- I end my turn.”

“This is who you are, child.” Geh’s arms fell slack at his sides to express his immeasurable disappointment. “You bash your head against walls to get through them until somebody else opens the door for you. Alone, you have zero potential. You are hopeless without a guide.”

She stepped back. Her brows pushed inward, and she chewed her lip. Hopeless was right. If it wasn’t for Bakura and Zane, she wouldn’t have had a chance against Paradox. If she was alone, she was doomed.

Her fingertip brushed the golden puzzle laying against her chest.

She wasn’t alone; not entirely.

“Timeater attacks Timaeus, Tamer of Dragons! When your monster is destroyed, your next Main Phase 1 is skipped yet again. I move to my Main Phase 2. Paying 500 LP allows the special summoning of Orichalcos Kyutora, who I summon in my spell/trap zone. I’ll next normal summon Orichalcos Gigas in my frontline.”

Geh’s life dropped to 3200 while two monsters took the field. The periwinkle fuzzball in the back had a giant eye bearing the six-pointed star, and its 500 attack increased to 1000. The brown-skinned orc in the foreground had 400 attack boosted to 900. A smile thinned Geh’s eyes as he lifted a spell card into the air. “Now: Orichalcos Deuteros!”

A second layer enclosed the original Seal. The brightness caught in a drop of sweat falling off the tip of Rain’s nose. She said, “Maybe you’ve forgotten, but I haven’t. I made this card so you could live in my world. I put in the work like you did for Rahlin. _I’m_ the one who gave you Dartz’s body, and you won’t trust me for a millisecond? I reaped hundreds of souls, too, only for you to axe me the instant you doubt me?”

“You lost the trust you earned when you destroyed the Great Leviathan.”

Damn – she really thought she had a stronger argument that time.

Geh said, “Using Deuteros allows me to gain 500 life points per monster on my field once a turn. I’ll activate and move to End Phase.”

The chirp of his life points increasing to 4700 was drowned out by a melodious roar. Rain said, “Timaeus, Tamer of Dragons returns at the End Phase if he’s destroyed by battle with anything but a Dragon-type!”

“Persistent in every facet of his existence, isn’t he,” Geh growled. “I nurse plenty of hatred for your knight ‘friends.’ Their influence contributed to the swaying of my most efficient Soul Reaper. Keep summoning him, child, and let me make him suffer again and again.”

She winced. “I th-thought you didn’t want monsters to suffer.”

“Those who defy my vision of the world have their own hells to pay!”

“Stupid,” she murmured. “I was stupid to believe you wanted the humans gone to make a better world rather than for your own selfish reasons. I summon Flamvell Guard and activate Timaeus, Tamer of Dragons’ final effect. I can target a Dragon-type on my field and increase or lower its level by one. I’ll lower Timaeus’s 8 stars to 7. Guard is a level 1 tuner. Timaeus and Flamvell Guard fall in sync for a level 8!”

The column of glimmering starlight connected like constellations. A shroud of shadows filled the green portals. Gleaming green eyes sliced through the black. Rain said, “Synchro Summon: Dark End Dragon!”

A black dragon flew from the portal upon ruptured wings. Silver horns jutted out the sides of his head like railroad spikes. The dragon’s roar doubled – one from his mouth and the other from the smiling mouth embedded in the monster’s chest. A shining ruby served as the chest-mouth’s clown nose. The dragon seemed to be in a permanent state of mocking her opponent.

“Dark End Dragon’s effect!” Rain announced. “By losing 500 permanent attack and defense, I send a monster of yours to the graveyard – which isn’t destroying it, meaning Orichalcos Nihil can’t protect Timeater! _Laughing Feast_!”

Disturbing giggles reverberated throughout the cavern. Dark End Dragon’s chest mouth opened wide. Dark End soared forward, and his chest swallowed Timeater whole. Dark End’s 2600 attack dropped to 2100.

“Now, I’ll use my Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon to attack Orichalcos Gigas! _Blue Lightning_!” The sable lightning pattern shone azure, and Alternative spat an energy beam of matching color. Gigas exploded into shards. In the backline, Kyutora absorbed Blue Lightning. The shards reformed into Gigas, now standing at 1400 attack. “W-what just happened?”

“Kyutora absorbs all damage I would take,” Geh explained, “and Orichalcos Gigas can be immediately re-summoned upon destruction at the cost of skipping my next draw. Each re-summon increases his attack by 500.”

Rain rubbed a knuckle underneath her lip. She couldn’t destroy the monster protecting his life points because of the indestructible monster in his frontline. Like with Timeater, she needed a way to remove it from the field. Dark End Dragon could accomplish that next turn. Something told her he wouldn’t survive until then. “I end my turn.”

Divine Serpent Geh fanned out the three cards in his human vessel’s hand. “My Draw Phase is skipped, which is of little concern. I activate the Ritual Spell Orichalcos Mirror by tributing a level 6 monster in my hand. Mirror Knight Calling is Ritual Summoned in my backline and special summons four Mirror Knight Tokens to my frontline!”

A spinning crystal similar to Rahlin’s prison tinged blue built beside Kyutora. Four knights in silver armor wielding reflective shields flanked Orichalcos Gigas. Geh said, “I believe I will now use Orichalcos Deuteros’s effect for the life point increase.”

With a total of seven monsters, his counter boosted from 4700 to 8300. Rain longed for the lead she once had. Geh said, “Battle Phase. I will first use Orichalcos Gigas to attack Alternative Dragon. The damage is absorbed and Gigas is re-summoned with now 1900 attack. Next, my first Mirror Token battles Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon!”

Her brows pushed inward. Why would he attack with one of his zero-attack tokens?

“Mirror Knight Calling’s effect applies. Each Mirror Knight Token comes equipped with a Shield Counter. Tokens with Shield Counters have their attacks equal the monster they are battling, and Shield Counters are destroyed instead of my tokens!”

Alternative’s Blue Lightning attack shot onto the reflective shield. The blast bounced back, destroying both the shield and the monster. Geh said, “Again. My second Mirror Knight Token battles Dark End Dragon.”

Her Synchro was destroyed and her field clear of all resources. His stacked field of seven monsters suffocated her. Geh said, “Finally, I use Mirror Knight Calling’s final effect. Once per turn, I can restore the lost Shield Counters unto my Mirror Knight Tokens.”

Her breaths quickened. Dark spots filled her vision. There was no, no way to break past his field.

A memory of her friend, the best duelist she knew, reached her: _“Remember: no panicking. Ignore its strengths; pinpoint its weaknesses and find a win condition.”_

Repeating Jack’s words in her mind, she breathed in and out. Like with Timeater, destruction wouldn’t work. Her monsters would easily be destroyed by battle. There were ways around his abilities in her deck.

She would reach them.

“My draw!” Her hand size increased to four. “I play Trade-In to discard my Blue-Eyes White Dragon and draw two cards. I’ll be special summoning my Hieratic Dragon of Tefnuit next since I control no monsters and you do. Banishing a LIGHT monster from my grave like White Stone of Legend lets me special summon Black Dragon Collapserpent. I’m using my normal summon on Galaxy Serpent, a level 2 LIGHT tuner. Galaxy Serpent, Tefnuit, and Collapserpent meet the requirements to Synchro Summon my level 12 monster!”

Burgundy glyphs painted over Rain’s pale limbs. Flames danced from the tribal symbols. Crimson stained her irises. She threw her arms forward and smiled with fangs. “Akakiryu of the Sacred Flame!”

A fiery tornado scorched the field. The dying light of sunset orange, brilliant yellow of a new day’s sunrise, and crimson like an eclipse’s blood moon blended for a blinding and burning blaze. Wings stretched and tossed the tornado into cinders. The red rain complemented Akakiryu’s fiery hide. His bright yellow eyes surveyed the full field, and Rain felt not a flicker of fear from him. His 3000 attack was greater than any on the field, but that wouldn’t matter for the Shield Counters.

“I activate Akakiryu’s effect. Once per turn, I can reduce his attack by 1000 to target a monster on the field. That monster gets banished. I’m getting rid of your Mirror Knight Calling Ritual Monster! _To Sacred Ashes_!”

Flames from Akakiryu’s hide took sentience and galloped towards the crystal in Geh’s backline. Gray ashes remained where the monster once was. Akakiryu’s attack dropped to 2000. Rain said, “I activate Dragon’s Mirror. This spell removes from play dragons from my field or graveyard for a Fusion Summon. The materials are two Blue-Eyes White Dragons, and since Alternative’s name serves as such in the grave, he counts towards the total! Both combine for Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon!”

Akakiryu’s autumn glow reflected off the white dragon emerging from the mirror. A second head sprouted from the Blue-Eyes, and both roared in unison. Stark cerulean cut through Twin Burst Dragon’s scales as a neon glow. Twin Burst matched the regular Blue-Eyes with 3000 attack and 2500 defense.

“Finally, I’ll be special summoning the last card in my hand. This is White Dragon Wyverburster, which I added from my deck when Collapserpent was sent to the graveyard. By banishing a DARK monster like Collapserpent, Wyverburster takes the field! I’ll now be entering my Battle Phase!”

Geh chuckled. “Look at all these fresh sacrifices you’ve brought for my remaining Shield Counters.”

Bearing a grin, Rain commanded, “Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon battles the first Mirror Token! _Twin White Lightning_!”

White filled the lanes of blue racing along the dragon’s hide. Twin Burst fired at the Mirror Knight with both mouths. The shield reflected the blast, and both monsters were consumed.

The attack ended and the arena cleared, revealing both still standing. Geh’s nose curled when he growled, “ _What_?”

“Twin Burst’s effect! He can’t be destroyed by battle, and if a monster survives his attack, they’re banished at the end of the Damage Step! _White Erasure_!” Light exploded from within the dragon and swallowed the token whole. Geh’s shock earned a giggle from her. She said, “Not over yet! Blue-Eyes Twin Burst gets two whole attacks per Battle Phase, so I’ll be taking another of those tokens!”

The repeating process banished another token. Rain said, “Next, White Dragon Wyverburster clanks with the third Mirror Knight Token! After he and the Shield Counter are destroyed, I get to add Black Dragon Collapserpent to my hand. That Mirror Token is free for the taking! Akakiryu of the Sacred Flame attacks and destroys your Knight! _Blazing Crimson Flight_!”

Cloaked in pyres, Akakiryu tore through the next to last token. Kyutora absorbed the damage from the strike. Rain flashed a grin, saying, “I’ll end my turn there!”

“Only an ignorant child could take pride in the miniscule actions she has accomplished,” Geh said. “The White Dragons trusted you to create their optimal world, and your betrayal squandered that trust. I’ll show you. First, I use Orichalcos Deuteros to increase my life points to 9700. Next, I activate a Continuous Spell known as Twin Bow Centaur.”

A pair of headless, stone centaurs with merged bodies appeared between his and her field. The drawn bows in their human arms pointed towards both fields. The bow aiming at Rain’s field had an arrow loaded whereas Geh’s side had an empty notch.

“At the cost of skipping my Battle Phase, I activate this spell once per my turn. I target a monster on mine and your field. My Mirror Knight Token and your Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon are my selections. I flip my coin and call Heads!”

The ringing of the flying coin resounded from above the twin centaurs. The statue rumbled and rotated with each turn of the coin. The Atlantian gold landed, bounced, and fell flat. The showing side was the profile of Dartz Orichalcum, King of Atlantis.

The centaur’s arrow pointed at her dragon’s heart. Geh’s smile stretched. “Your monster is banished, and you take damage equal to its attack.”

The arrow flew. Stone pierced her dragon and conducted the element of lightning within Twin Burst. The arrow transformed into an electric pillar, maintained the momentum of the shot, and hit Rain square in the stomach. She cried out, and her back slammed into the bounds of the Seal of Orichalcos Deuteros. Her body crumpled as her life dropped to 900.

“Turn end,” Geh said, a lilt of amusement in the words.

Rain shut her eyes and hugged her abdomen. She struggled to regain the air knocked from her lungs. Aches pulsed with her heartbeat from the point of impact. A loud clanging had landed beside her. She cracked open an eye.

The Millennium Puzzle stared back.

The heels of Rain’s hands scraped against stone as she pushed herself up to a knee. The struggle was painful beyond imagination, but rise she did.

Geh shouted, “You shouldn’t feel a flicker of sympathy for the pharaoh trapped within the Puzzle! He’s the reason why Rahlin is absent from the human vessel I prepared for you. I bet he didn’t tell you that truth. He commanded the attack that killed her.”

“He… what?”

“With the seal broken on Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos, the pharaoh called upon them with Legend of Heart. His answer to _me_ , the strongest Duel Monster, was to combine them and heartlessly sacrifice the Legendary Knight of Destiny in mutual destruction.”

Rain’s bushy eyebrows furrowed. That made zero sense. The prince had said, _“I would not hesitate to call Rahlin Orichalcum my friend.”_

“The fact that he had the Legendary Knight of Destiny says a lot,” Rain murmured. “Rahlin trusted him enough to give him _her_ card.”

“For him to spit in her face!” Geh roared. “It’s more likely he stole it from her!”

Rain shook her head. “Rahlin knows what she’s doing. She would have foreseen that kind of ending.”

“You give much credit to a person you’ve never met.” Geh’s glower caused his brow to cast shadows over his turquoise eyes, their pupils slit. “The traitorous child behind you is just that: a child. She quite literally stumbled into a victory since she fails even at walking properly.”

Rain threw the cane by Rahlin a pained glance. Her eyes closed, and her expression evened. “You… have no idea what us ‘children’ are capable of! My draw! During Standby, Akakiryu’s attack returns to its normal 3000!”

Slicing the top card off her deck shifted her determined features to excitement. “I’ll normal summon my Priestess with Eyes of Blue, and she’ll let me add another level 1 LIGHT Tuner to my hand – like Sage with Eyes of Blue. Sage’s effect will discard himself and send Priestess to the grave so that I can special summon any Blue-Eyes monster from my deck! I’m bringing out Dragon Spirit of White!”

A smooth-skinned Blue-Eyes with dove-white skin glided onto her field. The tips of his hands, feet, wings, and tail shimmered with azure glitter. Unlike the regular Blue-Eyes, Dragon Spirit of White had 2500 attack and 2000 defense.

“When White is normal or special summoned, I can banish a spell or trap of yours!” Rain shouted. “I’m taking Twin Bow Centaur out of the game!”

A wingflap threw a gust laced with blue sparkles, which tore apart the statue in the middle of the field. Rain said, “Next, I’m using Akakiryu of the Sacred Flame to banish the indestructible Orichalcos Gigas!”

A blast of flame reduced the troll to ashes. Akakiryu’s attack fell to 2000. “I’ll now be special summoning the Black Dragon Collapserpent added to my hand last turn by Wyverburster’s effect. The LIGHT monster I choose to banish is Sage with Eyes of Blue!”

The black hole created by Sage’s banishment allowed the black-and-red dragon to slither onto her field. “Black Dragon Collapserpent attacks your last Mirror Knight Token, destroying himself and the Shield Counter! I’ll add another White Dragon Wyverburster to my hand through Collapserpent’s effect. Dragon Spirit of White now attacks your open Mirror Knight Token! _Redemption Stream of White_!”

Sapphires were laced into the white beam Dragon Spirit spewed towards the token. Kyutora sucked in the excess damage. Rain said, “Your frontline is empty. After this, you’ll finally take some damage! Akakiryu of the Sacred Flame battles Orichalcos Kyutora! _Blazing Crimson Flight_!”

Akakiryu burned the fuzzball to a crisp. Geh’s 9700 life points remained untouched since Kyutora’s final saving grace absorbed the damage from its own death. A corner of Rain’s mouth lifted. They weren’t touched, no, but they soon would be.

“Orichalcos Kyutora was destroyed with damage absorbed, meaning you have won a fabulous prize, child!”

A monster like an armless, ancient doll materialized from the cinders of Kyutora’s remains. Rain’s smirk slacked. A right arm and left arm formed beside the monster and attached to its shoulder joints.

“Orichalcos Shunoros comes equipped with Orichalcos Dexia and Orichalcos Aristeros. Shunoros has a listed zero attack. Do not bother breathing easily. Its first effect gifts the attack absorbed by Kyutora unto Shunoros! The grand total of the damage you attempted to deal adds up to 9700!”

The Seal glowed on the monster’s forehead, increasing the original 9700 attack to 10300. Rain’s legs wobbled. All that work only to create a greater enemy for herself – one with attack exceeding 10000.

Winning was impossible. Her knees gave and hit the stone. One attack from that thing meant it was all over for her and the prince she tried to protect. Not only him. Geh would push her aside and lock Rahlin away for good. She’d used all her abilities, and the single card in her hand was the White Dragon Wyverburster whose summoning wouldn’t help her a bit.

“None but you are to blame for the despair dripping from your lost thoughts,” Geh scolded. “We both know your efforts consistently result in failure. No one needed to tell you how worthless and useless you are on your own. You’re an obedient soldier with no room for creativity. Look how you again cracked your skull bashing your head against this wall and how now it caves in upon you. You refuse to acknowledge how you are making the wrong choice. The stubbornness of those humans has infected you. Allow the Seal of Orichalcos to consume the pharaoh’s soul, child, and you will walk free to see the world as it is meant to be.”

“That’s not how this was made to work,” she uttered. The gold of the Puzzle was cool in her palms. “If I lose, my soul will be taken. I’m the one in combat.”

“So it may seem, but the Millennium Items have abilities beyond your feeble knowledge. The pharaoh shares a vessel – one body, two souls. I have witnessed the pharaoh in combat yet his soul not be lost. He feigns selflessness. I am sure this is a sacrifice he would make, pretentious as he is.”

Her eyes tilted downward. “You think that, once I lose-”

“The one you call ‘the prince’ will take your place,” Geh explained, “and humanity will be lost.”

No way that would happen. Even if it was possible, she spoke to him for all of two minutes. He wouldn’t… would he?

“A true shame to see both children die by my hand,” Geh said, “and both with incredible potential never blossoming to fruition. You let the pettiest distractions persuade you from your goals.”

“No it- it’s called keeping an open mind and heart! You would understand if you didn’t have the worst tunnel vision I’ve ever seen!”

He scoffed. “’Tunnel vision,’ the young fool calls it. Did you know? Rahlin Orichalcum was my greatest Soul Reaper. Through the card game, she reaped tens of souls in a matter of days at my behest. She wanted so desperately to please me.

“I believe you know something about her you are not voicing, Rain. The fear you feel when I mention Rahlin being my Soul Reaper speaks volumes. You mentioned Rahlin being capable, but you didn’t say of _what_. Her flip-flopping back and forth on the nature of humanity makes her a threat to you as well. I believe you reject your own truth. I believe you sincerely would rather Rahlin remain trapped to keep your precious humans safe.”

Rain understood the fear he spoke of. She knew more than anyone what Rahlin was capable of. Dripping, inky black and a grand, white throne made frequent appearances in her nightmares.

“My child.” There was a gentle wavering to Geh’s tone. “I understand how difficult you find it to wrangle your empathy. Give up with that Puzzle around your neck, and you will have no reason to fear any longer.”

She was too far lost in thought to hear his attempt at convincing her to fold. Rahlin was nigh impossible to sway when she set a goal, Rain thought. What had opened her mind to humanity?

Right. Before the duel, Geh complained about how her true goal was relieving Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos of their curses. The only way would be to get to know humans who fit their descriptions: Purity, Conviction, and Serenity. To even believe there could be a “pure” human would take thinking outside the box.

Rahlin had accomplished it despite her not-so-high opinion of humanity and while reaping souls to throw Divine Serpent Geh off her scent. Rain thought to the Rahlin she knew in the future and the unimaginable inventions she created. Geh was right in a way. There was something scary about Rahlin’s shrewdness.

But was changing her mind back – returning to the Rahlin who despised humanity – possible?

It didn’t matter. It wasn’t relevant, she told herself, because she swore to Rahlin she would change her future.

The fact that the promise was made atop a humanity-ending machine created by Rahlin’s own hands _should have been_ irrelevant. As should the few humans who survived Rahlin’s first attempt at this machine, who Rahlin manipulated into helping her decimate the human race they strived to reinstate. In a way, the cunning shown in defying Divine Serpent Geh matched that aspect of Future Rahlin.

Gnawing doubt returned. It had to be true. Geh was right – and the Spirit of Ryo’s Millennium Ring, too. Rahlin could very well go on to realize a terrifying future if she was freed.

In that case, the outcome of this duel was a lose-lose.

“My child,” Geh cooed, “cut off your suffering, I beg of you. End this now for your own health.”

Her pulse thrummed down to her fingertips, which lingered above her deck.

An odd sight stole Rain’s attention.

An azure butterfly flitted through the cavern and landed on her thigh. The flaps of its wings slowed to a stop.

“Impossible,” Geh spat. “Again? It can’t-”

His eyes widened, and those slit pupils of his shrank.

The butterfly belonged to Rahlin, the _real_ Rahlin she knew in the future. Rahlin had gone to lengths to save her partner for no more reason than the fact Rain cared for him. That Rahlin was the same as in the cycles, not the woman in white dreamed up by a wicked god. Yes, that Rahlin was a far-off possibility, but the same could be said of the capability for evil in any given sentient being.

The one and only Rahlin Orichalcum:

Three thousand nine hundred forty-five times promised Rain she’d live the long, fulfilling life she deserved.

Three thousand nine hundred forty-five times swore to defy Rain’s ending – that of cruel, fated death.

Three thousand nine hundred forty-five times defied a wicked god despite the impossible odds stacked against her.

And only once had to say that Rain was worth every second.

Sound resonated near her eardrums: the ringing of bells. That stole Rain’s mind away to the Spirit World’s bell tower. She once met a knight at its spire who told her she always had a home there; the same knight assured her time and time again that Rain didn’t have to worry.

Worry she didn’t.

Rahlin was pragmatic, but she wasn’t evil – not in the slightest. Her heart changed. Rain was sure that…

_Bong, bong, bong_ rang the bells. They almost sounded _closer_ , but that wasn’t possible. _Ding_ ing like gems spilled on stone joined the chorus of the bells. Rain shook her head, placed her palms on the ground, and shouted, “I’m sure that Rahlin is a hero, and I’ll do whatever it takes to defy her ending!”

She waited for Geh to snap back about Rahlin or about the hopeless situation she was in.

When she opened her eyes, Geh was trapped in utter shock. Rain peered at the butterfly’s perch, but the insect was gone. Blue cinders remained. Geh’s line of sight was locked onto something _behind_ her.

“Summon: Gabrion, the Timelord.”

Rain’s breath caught. The voice, soft yet firm; the way the command was issued to not mince words…

“Gabrion battles Orichalcos Shunoros. No battle damage is received per Gabrion’s effect. Upon successful attack, every card you control returns to your deck, and you draw that amount.”

Rain pushed to the side and twisted to view the new duelist. Her jaw slacked slowly, and her lips quivered.

Violet shards trailed behind Rahlin Orichalcum. Her left arm gripped her cane and its forearm held her active duel disk, which had the single monster on it. The Timelord looming behind her was easily twice her size.

A dusting of cosmos surrounded its bottom half; the cerulean and lavender nebulae whisked around Rahlin’s ankles. The blue, humanoid monster had a reflective chest plate between its purple wings, and its arms hung at its sides. Gabrion shifted, and an unamused face appeared in its chest plate. Rahlin thrust her right arm forward, and the Timelord mimicked the gesture.

Her eye blazed despite her neutral expression. She stated,

_“Timeline  
_ _Reset.”_

A cloudy rush of stars spewed from Gabrion’s palm and swept away Geh’s field. The blast of air threw Rahlin’s silver locks over the shoulder of her black suit coat and disheveled her dark tie.

Rain lifted a shaking leg, and the sole of her tennis shoe scuffed against the ground. Her eyes were wide and glistening. Her shoulders shook with every other limb. The focus of Rahlin’s eye glanced over her. Rahlin stepped forward with the heavy _thunk_ of her cane. She extended a hand to Rain.

“I hope you don’t mind,” she said. “I dealt myself in.”

Rahlin followed up with her small smile, the one that showed everything would turn out alright even if it meant her traveling to the ends of the earth for it to be so. Rain bit her quivering lower lip. Don’t cry, don’t cry. Now was _not_ the time to-

She propelled to her feet, threw her arms around her sister’s neck, and bawled. Rahlin laughed a little and touched the small of Rain’s back with her formerly outstretched hand. Rain stumbled through ten half-sentences and couldn’t finish a single one. Rahlin said, “It’s okay. You’ll be fine. I’m here for you.”

Her sobbing worsened. She put space between them and bit on her knuckle to stop the ungodly sniffles. A heavy breath escaped Rahlin. She took Rain’s left hand by the palm and studied her ring.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered. Rain smiled and nodded repeatedly. She swiped the tears off her cheeks but, despite her smile, they kept falling. Rahlin said, “I don’t want to have to wait to catch up, but the blight across the field needs eviscerating.”

“It’s _not possible_!” The features of Geh’s face contorted amidst his roar. “It is inconceivable that your mind returned to the vessel in this world, and you passed through the bounds of the Seal! How do you defy reality?”

“Reality extends beyond what you comprehend. Unlike the original, the Seal of Orichalcos Deuteros was designed to lock combatants inside and forgets the clause to keep outsiders away.”

Rain’s head tilted. “How’d you know?”

Both hands folded over her cane, and her hand of cards was caught between her first and second fingers. Her eye closed and her smile spread. “It would be disrespectful to forget the details of our own creation. He may be using them now, but those cards rightfully belong to us. We’ll reclaim them once his soul is locked away from this world for eternity. I set two cards and end my turn.”

She pushed the cards into their slots with her knuckle and threw up her free arm, eye still closed. Gabrion, the Timelord copied the gesture. Rain knew she should return to her part of the field.

Awe locked her in place. Her fears, doubts, and hopelessness scattered like dandelion seeds in the wind.

Rahlin was more than a hero; she was an architect of miracles.

“Do not fool yourself into thinking the fate of your beloved humans has changed,” Geh spat. He drew a fifth card for his hand. “I activate yet another Orichalcos Mirror by utilizing the Timeater in my hand as tribute. Four Mirror Knight Tokens take the frontline with Mirror Knight Calling existing in my backline. I pay 500 life points to special summon another Orichalcos Kyutora next to Mirror Knight Calling, and I normal summon Orichalcos Gigas beside my tokens. Now: Orichalcos Deuteros!”

His 9700 LP dropped to 9200 for the summoning of Kyutora then boosted to 12700 total. Geh announced, “Battle Phase! Share your farewells with your new god, child. Mirror Knight Token battles Akakiryu of the Sacred Flame!”

Her expression was pinched as the suit of armor approached her field with stilted steps. The building illumination from the start of Akakiryu’s attack reflected in the knight’s shield. Akakiryu flapped a firestorm towards the token. The surface of the shield bounced the attack back as a laser aimed at Akakiryu’s snout.

An invisible force blocked the beam. Three sages in aqua blue robes whispered prayers behind Rahlin. Geh’s lips curled back from his teeth, and a vein was visible on his forehead. She said, “Waboku prevents destruction by battle this turn.”

Akakiryu’s head angled towards his savior. Both of his eyes, blazing yellow like the sun, stared at Rahlin. His head lowered in a bow. The threading of Rahlin’s eyebrows expressed discomfort. “Your monsters are… realer than usual.”

“He knows you,” Rain assured. “He admires you, I think.”

“I’ve never seen a monster like him before,” Rahlin murmured. Her eye scanned the namesake sacred fire crawling along Akakiryu’s hide in a red, gold, and black mix like molten lava.

Rain gave a toothy smile. “He’s special. This is the Crimson Dragon, one of my very best friends.”

Her eye widened. “You mean this is the _god_?”

“He whom enslaved Rain,” Geh shouted, “and he who shall fall in time! I attack Dragon Spirit of White with Orichalcos Gigas and move to End Phase.”

Geh’s monster was destroyed, Kyutora absorbed the LP damage, and Gigas returned with 1400 attack. Rain lifted the top card off her deck. “Akakiryu’s effect banishes your Gigas! _To Sacred Ashes_!”

A heat wave burned the troll to a crisp. Rain said, “I swap my monsters to defense position, set a card, and end my turn.”

“Oh?” Geh said. “Where is the drive from earlier? Now you don’t even attack! The number of duelists may be in your favor, but that is the only statistic.”

“No worries; the numbers are volatile,” Rahlin said. “At my Standby, Gabrion shuffles himself into my deck via his own effect. I will now summon Sandaion, the Timelord.”

Electricity danced upon the Timelord’s yellow gauntlets. Its silver, bell-shaped abdomen hovered behind Rahlin. The cross-shaped symbol upon its chest displayed the grinning face of a golem, his smile sinister. Unlike Gabrion, Sandaion had 4000 attack.

“Sandaion battles a Mirror Knight Token. The Shield Token is destroyed, and like all Timelords, Sandaion cannot be destroyed. However. After a successful battle, Sandaion deals my opponent 2000 damage. _Time’s End._ ”

Lightning struck from Sandaion’s fingertips. Geh shouted as the ability electrified him, and his life points fell from 12700 to 10700. Rahlin was unmoved by his pain; she said, “Set one and pass turn.”

He clutched at his shoulder and roared, “I summon Orichalcos Gigas and use Orichalcos Deuteros’ effect! Your struggles are meaningless; your lives are like that of ants to me! I enter my Battle-”

“Threatening Roar,” Rahlin stated, “is a trap that will prevent you from entering Battle Phase this turn.”

“Forestalling the inevitable is all you are capable of! Turn end!”

Rahlin closed her eye. A corner of her mouth lifted. “That’s fine. I’m not the only duelist on this side, after all.”

“I’m activating Angel Baton!” Rain said. “I draw twice and send a card from my hand to the grave. I choose White Dragon Wyverburster. Now, I use the effect of Priestess with Eyes of Blue in the grave. By returning Dragon Spirit of White to my deck, I can special summon her. I’ll normal summon Magna Drago beside her.

“I activate my face-down Continuous Trap, Descending Lost Star! I can special summon a Synchro from my grave in defense position, lower its level by 1, and set its defense to zero. I choose the fallen Dark End Dragon! The tuners level 2 Magna Drago and level 1 Priestess can now connect with level 7 Dark End Dragon for a Synchro Summon!”

The ten combined stars scattered. Stark white lines connected the sparkling orbs. A blanket of black spread behind the constellation. The black wrapped around a draconic silhouette. The monster was draped in the night with lines between the stars dotting his hide. The lifting of his wings created a mesmerizing show of the universe’s symphony of stars.

“Upon the Synchro Summon of Constellation Dragon while my hand is empty,” Rain said, “every other card on the field is banished face-down.”

“Everything?” Geh said. “ _Everything_ is erased?”

The flair of a wink and a snap of the fingers was very much not like Rain yet perfectly befit the Signer Dragon she borrowed. “ _Nebulae Explosion_!”

A purple cloud laced with stars thundered from Constellation Dragon’s throat and flooded the field. The nebulae removed Rain’s Akakiryu, Rahlin’s Timelord, and Geh’s full field from the game forever.

“You’re now open for a direct attack,” Rain said. “Constellation Dragon! _Orion’s Arrow_!”

Stars winked into existence in front of the Synchro. The connections between them formed the shape of a hunter, who drew back his bow. A starry arrow lanced through Geh. His eyes widened as he patted his chest. Rain assumed he was shocked to be unharmed.

Like his original owner, the monster under her control refused to harm. Geh’s life dropped from 14700 to 11500. Rain said, “I’m setting a card before ending my turn.”

“By the stars,” Rahlin muttered, “it’s gorgeous. Honestly, I’m used to strong monsters being some form of grotesque. Yours are stunning.”

“Not just mine,” she whispered. “Hey. Did anything specific make you pick Timelords?”

“I didn’t pick them. I believe someone I met recently gave them to me. It’s strange. I thought I met that person in a dream.”

Rain’s breaths quickened. “What person?”

She shook her head. “We’ll have to talk about it later. For now, it’s my turn. Since Rain got rid of my monster, I have an empty field. This means I can normal summon Lazion, the Timelord. Enter Battle Phase and direct attack. No damage is dealt, but at the end, you shuffle your graveyard into your deck.”

Geh grit his teeth as he conjoined the two piles of cards and shuffled. The new Timelord behind Rahlin wore crimson armor, and flames rose from its shoulders. The reflective plate on its breast showed a bearded king wearing a helm. Rahlin said, “Turn end.”

“I draw!”

“Lazion’s effect triggers,” Rahlin stated. “When you draw, Lazion inflicts 1000 damage. _Scorn of 1000 Timelines_.”

Rahlin closed her fingers into a fist, and the Timelord copied the movement. The flames blazed higher and split into a thousand strands. The flaming bolts shot through Geh, singing his robes. His life dropped to 10500.

“ _Enough_ ,” Geh said. He threw the single card in his hand onto his monster zone. “I pay 500 LP to special summon Orichalcos Kyutora and attack Constellation Dragon!”

The dragon batted away the 1000 attack monster like the swatting of a fly. Kyutora swallowed the 2200 damage prior to its destruction. Rain bit her thumb nail and murmured, “No, that means-”

“Orichalcos Shunoros is now special summoned!” Geh pronounced. The ancient doll materialized with a much smaller 2200 attack boosted to 2700 this time. The left and right arm, Orichalcos Aristeros and Dexia, attached to its flanks. “Orichalcos Dexia attacks Constellation Dragon. Its ability changes its attack to your monster’s plus 300!”

Dexia’s attack increased to 3500. A six-pointed star formed in front of Shunoros’s right arm. Beads of light pelted Rain’s monster. She winced as her life dropped to a mere 600. She couldn’t open her eyes again. She couldn’t, because she knew the monster he trusted her with would be gone, and a broken heart was too much pain.

“How has your monster survived?” Geh shouted.

Rain cracked open an eye. Sure enough, Constellation Dragon remained. A celestial statue with brilliant, pink wings curving downward kept a watchful stance over her dragon. Rahlin said, “The Continuous Trap Dimension Guardian equips to a monster and protects it from destruction.”

Again. She’d saved Rain again and again and again and-

Shunoros’s attack dropped to zero as a result of Dexia’s strike. He ranted again about Rahlin’s stalling strategies.

No matter which Rahlin she met, each seemed to know the value of time.

“My move!” Rain said. The sight of the card in her hand near knocked the air from her lungs. “I’m putting an end to this! I activate Raigeki!”

A divine bolt of lightning struck down Shunoros, Dexia, and Aristeros. Rain grinned at the zapped remains of his monsters. Her focus moved beyond to the duelist opposite her.

His smile curled up.

“Orichalcos Shunoros was destroyed. Now, I have the option of paying ten thousand life points to bring out the most powerful Duel Monster known to all.”

Turquoise drained from Geh’s irises. Blank eyes rolled back in their sockets. His human form withered unto nothing. The flesh-and-bone remains twined together to forge the muscles and scales of a serpent the size of an aircraft. The snake’s body slithered around the inner ring of Orichalcos Deuteros.

The attack power of the new monster hovered above its venomous fangs: ∞.

_“The song of your fear reverberates like the drums of war,”_ Divine Serpent Geh whispered. The hissing of the “S” sounds caused Rain’s eardrums to ache. She could hardly hear her own thoughts over the beats of her heart.

The snake’s head thrusted beside her, and she yelped. Its jaw unhinged. Poison dripped from its saber-length fang. _“Your demise is nigh.”_

“Nonono,” she whimpered. Geh’s life points may have been at zero, but as long as the monster remained, it was impossible for him to lose. “I change Constellation Dragon to defense position and end my turn!”

She watched Rahlin’s draw. Lazion, the Timelord shuffled itself into her deck through its own effect. Surely fate would bend to guide her victory. Surely she would have something, anything.

Rahlin pushed a card into her spell/trap slot. The large, holographic card appeared as the only unused resource on her field. “Turn end.”

The series of hisses in Rain’s mind must have been Geh’s mocking laughter. The serpent’s body, black as shifting shadows, coiled about Rahlin’s field. He enclosed her inch by inch.

_“Your death will be long and painful. The poison’s infection represents the venomous lies you intermingled with your spittle. You will be buried with the scum of society – the thieves, the murderers, the assaulters. My spitting on your grave will be the site’s only visitation.”_

The coil completed to its tightest point around her feet and the steady root of her cane. Divine Serpent Geh’s gleaming yellow eyes and silver fangs had zero effect on Rahlin’s firm stature. His unhinged jaw loosed a hot and bitter breath, disturbing her bangs.

_“This is a traitor’s doom and your future, Rahlin Orichalcum.”_

The ancient monster’s neck lashed forward fast as the crack of a whip. Rahlin did not flinch. The fang’s tip grew larger and larger in the reflection of her blue iris.

His fangs pierced a black hide laden with stars. Rain said, “Shift changes your target to my Constellation Dragon!”

_“What?”_

“Does she need to explain it twice?” Rahlin said. “Perhaps you should consider the probability of all variables before diving into your monologues on my death.”

_“Here is an unseen variable for you.”_

Rahlin’s Dimension Guardian rapidly healed Constellation’s wounds. A tempest raged around the statue. The end of the storm left Dimension Guardian as pebbles falling on Constellation’s hide. The serpent’s venom took hold, spreading the holes in the dragon’s wings. The damage of the poison caused the dragon to suffer into destruction.

_“Mystical Space Typhoon destroys your monster’s protection,”_ Geh spat. _“Even better. By next attack, I’ll have my pick of who dies first.”_

“Rain,” Rahlin whispered, her tone gentle. “It’s alright. You kept us here another turn. You don’t need to cry.”

The tears darkened the stone beneath her feet. She sniffled. “I j-just really like that dragon. M-my draw!”

A cold cage formed around her beating heart.

“I…”

Her mouth twitched down wildly.

“I end my turn.”

The hissing laughter started up again. Rain bit down hard on her lower lip and shut her eyes. _“Two of you existing has only accomplished multiplying your uselessness. You require leadership – guidance to spearhead your potential. Otherwise, you cannot accomplish anything. Rain. Forget the traitorous being you created. Let the pharaoh lose his soul with hers. You, at least, are salvageable.”_

“As a tool only,” Rahlin said. “That is how he sees every being he comes across. He admitted to destroying the lives of three humans solely for the purpose of turning him into his henchmen. He did the same to us.”

“He- he did?”

“We would have saved Bird Noises,” Rahlin said. “We would have saved our cat from drowning, but he dragged it just deep enough. He wanted us broken by it. He always saw us as his own child soldiers.”

“B-Bird Noises could’ve…” Her eyes shivered in their sockets. “You’re evil. You’ve never been anything but evil.”

_“Her traitorous words sway you easily,”_ Geh said. _“You are not salvageable after all.”_

“He says as though his plans for you extend beyond disposing of you at the soonest opportunity,” Rahlin said. “I’ll tell you one thing. He calls us children because he has that level of respect for us. That’s what made him vulnerable to deception. You’d think a monster capable of reading my emotions would see through my lies, but his thinking so little of me made my job simple.”

_“Disrespect? No! It was trust in you to keep a handle on Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos. You turn around and free them – bring humans you despise to taint our realm! Seto Kaiba’s actions prevented you from walking ever again, yet you sided with his species!”_

“That is correct.”

Geh roared, _“You are a child! You have no semblance of right nor wrong. Your logic is backwards! Like the countless times before, you will lose and fail. You may have performed work, Rahlin, but you have the most losses out of my Soul Reapers. By the statistics you seem to adore referencing, you are a failure.”_

Her hum suggested her loss in deep thoughts. “Are you aware of the Law of Infinite Probability?”

_“The what?”_

“The Law states that, every time an event fails to occur, its likelihood of success increases,” she explained. “In theory, failures compound towards success.”

Rain muttered, “So even if somebody were to fail to find a solution to a problem 3,945 times…”

“That’s 3,945 times the chances of discovering a solution has increased, though that is an oddly specific example.”

Rain’s stomach turned. No wonder Rahlin manufactured miracles. All her belief was fueled by logic. Geh said, _“You spew nonsense to appear wise to yourself. Your facts are fake as your wisdom. Otherwise, you may have planned ahead and survived.”_

“Ah, you’re right.” She feigned pain. “If I knew anything, I wouldn’t have given the prince the Legendary Knights. I wouldn’t have allowed the Legendary Knight of Destiny to fall into his hands! It’s almost as if I wanted your soul to be lost so that you’d return to the Spirit World the same time as me; it’s almost as if I wanted to execute you with my own two hands.”

Geh’s head reared. _“You are the vilest of traitors! End your turn and die!”_

Her first two fingers rested atop her deck.

“It’ll be something good, right?” Rain asked.

The focus of her eye lingered on Rain. “Odds are slim.”

“Does that matter?” Rain asked.

“Not a bit,” Rahlin said. She swiped the top card off her deck. “I summon Zaphion, the Timelord!”

The creature that materialized behind Rahlin showed a peaceful, smiling woman’s face upon its chest plate. The cool blue tinge of the reflection matched the color of its flowing hair and thin limbs. A wave of bubbles rose with the monster. Their iridescent rims shimmered in the firelight.

“Is it one like before,” Rain asked, “where it can return Geh to his hand?”

“This one’s effect won’t help us, but that’s alright,” Rahlin said. “I activate the spell I drew last turn – Tree of Probabilities.”

A dove-white tree with a soft glow sprouted behind her. Its branches branched and branched seemingly upward into infinity. Rain noticed a bright blue blossom growing on a single bough.

Rahlin said, “When I control a Timelord, I can activate Tree of Probabilities to special summon a token. This token has two special qualities: one, it is DIVINE-attribute, and two, it is treated as a tuner. This is called my White Throne Token.”

An all-too familiar throne rumbled into being before Rahlin. Rain double checked that the white coat was still wrapped around her waist.

Her brows threaded. A hole had formed in the coat. Ashes sprinkled from the sleeves.

The piercing sound of Geh’s chuckles bounced around her mind. _“Your divinity is a farce. Godhood suits me better. I am far more ancient and eons wiser than you. In the grand scheme, I am the god and you are the ant.”_

“I see,” she whispered, her features downcast. “In that case…”

The idea of her steadiness finally cracking excited the serpent. _“In that case?”_

“You are one more god to bury.” She held out her palm facing skyward. “White Throne Token and Zaphion, the Timelord align to Synchro Summon a law of nature manifested – _Probability Dragon_!”

Miles of strings of ones and zeroes like the rules governing a machine gathered in a spiral. The serpent-like dragon had a spine that constantly grew and retracted like the infinite branches of Rahlin’s tree of probabilities. The ones and zeroes flickered in constant dynamism similar to the myriad of possibilities life allowed.

Two glowing orbs of white marked the dragon’s eyes. Rain squinted. The spheres themselves were tinier and tighter lines of binary language. The display faltered a bit, shifting between lines of code, before showing the Synchro’s attack as ∞.

“My monster here is a game of odds,” Rahlin said. “It’s unaffected by the effects of other cards, cannot attack, and can’t be any sort of material. I’m locked out of summoning other monsters so long as it exists. Once a turn, though?”

She rolled out her elbow. A pair of dice tumbled down her sleeve; she caught the first between her index and middle fingers and the second between her ring and pinkie fingers. “I roll dice, and the result decides my monster’s ability this turn.”

_“What sort of abilities?”_ Geh hissed.

“They vary depending on the result, and the most common results don’t benefit me. As they reach away from the high probabilities, though, my dragon’s power becomes unmatched. I’ll give you an example. If I roll a seven, which is the most common result from two six-sided dice, it immediately moves to the End Phase. If I nail the one in thirty-six chance to roll snake eyes? I get to negate the effects of up to two face-up cards on the field!”

Rain exhaled. “And if his effects are negated…”

“We win.”

_“Odds you cannot overcome!”_ Geh shouted.

“Let’s see!” Rahlin said. “Effect activate: _Probability Limited_!”

She threw the dice onto the field. They expanded as they tumbled end-over-end. Rain wrapped a strand of hair tightly around her finger. A die stopped on one. Her breath caught. The other spun on its tip, spun, spun. The die halted. Its top face showed six dots.

Geh’s laughter dampened her spirits. _“End of turn! You chose a monster whose chances work against you, and Rain will die for your brash stupidity! How ironic, too, that your results are the uncommon ends of the spectrum you so desired: one and six. Fate mocks you!”_

“Unless.”

_“Unless?”_

“Reality is mine to decide,” she said, “and I manipulate the odds.”

_“That’s impossible,_ ” he hissed, _“and if not, it’s cheating!”_

“Infinite probabilities defy the impossible,” Rahlin said. “I activate That Six! I can change the result of a die to one or six depending on the current result. I’ll be changing the one I rolled to a six, changing the seven I rolled into a twelve!”

“W-what’s the twelve ability?”

“Why, the greatest of all. A twelve result negates Probability Dragon’s abilities. If my dragon has no restrictions-”

“It can attack,” Rain said, breathless. The infinite-powered beast above Rahlin flickered out of existence and returned. Something brushed Rain’s leg. More ashes had fallen from the white coat, whose holes had grown. She noticed the same gray remains floating from the deck on Rahlin’s duel disk.

“Battle Phase,” Rahlin announced.

_“Stay your hand!”_ Geh pleaded.

“I supposed there is a variable I hadn’t considered until now,” Rahlin said. “You could save yourself the pain. Take it from me: sometimes the right answer is giving up.”

_“You should be the one giving up. Imagine the world as it could be!”_

“A world without you,” she said, “is perfection I can achieve. Probability Dragon attacks Divine Serpent Geh! _Logic Defiance_!”

The white, serpentine body forged of binary did not move. The branches growing and retracting shot downward and propelled the body forward. Probability Dragon’s branches lifted it to look down on the fearful Divine Serpent Geh, acclaimed greatest of all Duel Monsters.

At once, thousands of branches sprouted from Probability Dragon’s body like uncountable arachnid legs. The infinite strands skewered Divine Serpent Geh. Black blood spurted. The blood’s poison ate away at the binary forming Probability Dragon. A few ones and zeroes plinked to the ground before the Synchro faded.

Geh’s body remained. Orichalcos Deuteros shrank to the serpent’s size. Neon green shot skyward. The immortality protecting Geh left with his soul, and the body remaining aged eons in milliseconds. The weathering of scales, skin, and muscles caused Rain to heave.

The sight of the golden puzzle around her neck brought back her sanity. “We did it. You’re safe. We’re actually gonna be okay!”

She turned her smile towards Rahlin, who was watching her deck. The cards, including Probability Dragon, were crumbling as though on fire. She said, “I don’t understand.”

“I can _try_ to explain… hey, um, does this mean anything to you?”

Rain untied the white coat around her waist and held it out to Rahlin. The instant Rahlin touched the suit coat, the item and the cards shattered into ashes. The twins were stunned and silent.

Rain started to say something, but Rahlin held up a hand. “Don’t tell me. Mysteries are thrilling. I mean, there’s something fun about speculating, don’t you think?”

“Right. Yeah.” With the tension streaming out of her, she managed to laugh. “Hey, Rahlin?”

“Yes?”

She threw herself forward and hugged onto her sister’s neck. The words tried to form but stuck in her throat. A tear slipped. She managed, “Thank you for saving me.”

Rahlin muttered her awkward reassurances about how it’s natural for family and they needed to look out for each other.

She would never know holding a cold body in a crater, in the rain, beneath a dark sign, and again and again and again.

That was for the best, so Rain chewed the inside of her cheek to stop her tears and backed away.

“We have a decision to make,” Rahlin said. Rain followed her slow steps towards the back of the chamber. Two souls remained on the wall: Dartz Orichalcum and Divine Serpent Geh. “They can remain trapped here and they’ll never harm anyone again. No one else knows of this place, so we can leave them and Atlantis forever.”

“Free them.”

“What?”

“We should free them,” Rain repeated. “They shouldn’t be stuck in limbo forever. Geh will go back to the Spirit World for execution and Dartz will move on to the afterlife he should’ve had thousands of years ago.”

“It’s a risk.”

“It’s right.”

Rahlin scanned her. A gentle smile lit her face. “I hope to be as forgiving as you in due time. Please help me. I don’t have the balance to do it myself.”

She flipped her cane in her hand, and after the twirl, she held a white blade in her grip. Rain moved to support her so she could raise the blade and stab the wall of souls. Two green orbs screamed by. Her cane was left in her hold. She relied on it and started back towards the entrance. Geh’s loss had restored the portal wall out of Atlantis.

“There’s no coming back once we leave,” Rahlin said. “Any last wishes?”

Rain didn’t look back.

“Not one.”

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Their trip through the portal was rough sailing. Rain fell headfirst into the KaibaCorp boardroom while Rahlin landed on her backside. Rahlin struggled to adjust to the bright lighting. Her cane fell beside her. In reaching for it, she noticed a pair of pristine white shoes in front of them.

“Oh, _great_. The streetrats are multiplying.”

Seto Kaiba’s white pinstripe suit managed to be more blinding than the lights. He hadn’t appeared to age, so Rahlin assumed she wasn’t gone long. Time was difficult to keep track of in the other world.

“S-sorry!” Rain shot to her feet and stood straight as a saluting soldier. “We’re just trying to leave!”

“There’s always the roof exit,” Kaiba scoffed. “Where’s Yugi? He was supposed to be with you. You have his necklace.”

His icy glare landed on the solid gold Millennium Puzzle Rain wore. Rahlin struggled to a standing position. Rain stuttered through excuses. Rahlin guessed she’d met the intimidating man already. Rahlin said, “I know you were worried, but he’s fine now.”

His nose twitched. He reached for a landline. “I’m calling security.”

“We’re going!” Rain said. She hurried for the elevator, remembered Rahlin, and returned to match her slow gait. Rain pouted and practically leapt into the elevator when it opened.

Rahlin smiled to herself.

The instant the door closed behind them, Rain said, “Doesn’t he know you saved him? Without you, his soul wouldn’t have come back! And he used Critias, right? You led him to Critias! He should be thankful!”

Rahlin said, “Wasted breath, I’m afraid. Believe me when I say I’ve had my attempts to reason with him.”

“Hopefully convincing him of how much a jerk he is,” she murmured.

“That was a part of it, yes.”

Rain cracked up. Rahlin laughed with her. The elevator dinged. Rain rushed for the exit, remembered Rahlin, again, and walked with her. “It’s okay, you know. I’ll get there eventually.”

She tugged the brim of her hat low. “I’m sorry! I’m really excited and you’re here finally and and and I love you!”

Outside the building, Rahlin stopped. The shower of sunshine was a natural light she doubted she’d ever be accustomed to. The bustling humans continued about their lives as though a groundbreaking event hadn’t occurred deep beneath the distant sea. As it always was with this world, Rahlin felt horribly out of place. She said, “What do you mean by that?”

“I love you?”

“What does that mean to you, though?”

“Oh,” she muttered, “sorry. It’s different now. I’m different, I think. I have a lot of friends waiting for me. My fiancé, too. That’s what they call the person you’re engaged to. It’s French. For some reason they randomly use French words in their language, like fiancé and résumé and déja vu. ‘I love you’ just means you care for someone. To me it means I’d do anything I could to help them, I guess. I’d always be there for you if I could. I love you.”

Light laughter tumbled out of Rahlin. “I have to tell you, Rain…”

“Yeah?”

Rahlin lifted her arm and watched the sun through her open hand. Rays of sunshine spilled through the holes separating her fingers. Seeing the rays in the Spirit World wasn’t possible because that sun was a reflection this world – the real one.

A smile eased across her lips. “I visited you. I found your crystal, where the Crimson Dragon was waiting for you. I told you I love you with the same exact meaning. I figured you’d realize the true definition also, but I didn’t think that-”

Her throat felt swollen. “This is hard to say out loud. I didn’t think I’d get to speak to you or anyone else again. I’m- I’ve been lonely for a long time. I met people here, sure, but I had to lie to their faces. Geh revived me with a scalding warning and didn’t give me back my eye to boot. The instant I returned to the Spirit World, I was locked away for crimes I didn’t remember committing. I’m sorry. I’m speaking all over the place. I suppose, what I’m trying to say is – coming back to you crying and holding onto me – I’ve never had a welcome that made me feel loved like you say. I hadn’t thought it of this place before, but…”

A river of tears rolled over her sun-graced smile.

“I feel like I’m home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's long, and a lot... bless you for making it this far. Genuinely. Reaching the real ending my girl deserves. There is 1 chapter and an epilogue after this. I won't be updating this fic next week since this chapter is so massive. Thank you again for being here; it means everything
> 
> The OG card section is loooong today, lol. Probability Dragon is ridiculous and overpowered and should never exist. This is my last hurrah. I try to keep my cards balanced, but I figured I'd let Rahlin really win one heheh.
> 
> \---------------------------
> 
> Below are the descriptions of the original cards appearing in this chapter:
> 
> Orichalcos Nihil
> 
> 1-Star, DARK Attribute
> 
> [Rock/Effect] [0 ATK / 0 DEF]
> 
> When an "Orichalcos" monster on your side of the field is destroyed by battle or card effect, you can special summon this card from your hand. A Tribute Summoned monster that used this card as tribute cannot be destroyed by battle or card effect.
> 
> \---------------------------
> 
> Timaeus, Tamer of Dragons
> 
> 8-Star, DARK Attribute
> 
> [Dragon/Fusion/Effect] [200 ATK / 2000 DEF]
> 
> You can discard 1 Dragon-type monster: add 1 Dragon-type monster whose level is 1 higher or 1 lower than the discarded monster's. Once per turn, you can target 1 Dragon-type you control: increase or lower its level by 1. If a monster destroys this card by battle, Special Summon this card at the End Phase unless that monster was Dragon-type.
> 
> \---------------------------
> 
> Constellation Dragon
> 
> 10-Star, DARK Attribute
> 
> [Dragon/Synchro/Effect] [3200 ATK / 3200 DEF]
> 
> 2 Tuners + 1 non-Tuner DARK Dragon-Type Synchro Monster
> 
> When this card is Synchro Summoned while you have no cards in your hand, you can banish all other cards on the field face-down. (Ability Name: Nebulae Explosion)
> 
> \---------------------------
> 
> Akakiryu of the Sacred Flame
> 
> 12-Star, LIGHT Attribute
> 
> [Dragon/Synchro/Effect] [3000 ATK / 2500 DEF]
> 
> 1 LIGHT Tuner + 2 or more non-Tuner monster(s)
> 
> When this card is Synchro Summoned: You can destroy all Spell and Trap Cards your opponent controls. [Ability Name: Ignite the Sacred Flame] Once per turn, if this card is targeted by your opponent's card effect (Quick Effect): you can negate and banish that card. [Ability Name: Sacred Cinder Disarmament] Once per turn: you can deduct 1000 ATK from this card to target one monster on the field; banish that target. During your next Standby Phase, this card's ATK becomes its original ATK. [Ability Name: To Sacred Ashes]
> 
> \---------------------------
> 
> Tree of Probabilities
> 
> Normal Spell
> 
> Can only be activated by discarding 1 card when you control a "Timelord." Special summon 1 "White Throne Token" (Rock-type/DIVINE/Level 2/Tuner/ATK 0/DEF 0). The Synchro Summon of monsters using "White Throne Token" as material cannot be negated.
> 
> \---------------------------
> 
> Probability Dragon
> 
> 12-Star, DIVINE Attribute
> 
> [Dragon/Synchro/Effect] [∞ ATK / 0 DEF]
> 
> 1 DIVINE Tuner + 1+ "Timelord" Monsters
> 
> Must be Synchro Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned other ways. When this card is Synchro Summoned: banish all other cards you control face-down. Unaffected by other cards' effects. This card cannot declare an attack or be used as material. While this card is face-up on the field, you cannot summon other monsters. Once per turn, you can roll two six-sided dice. Apply one of the following effects based on the result: 2: Target up to 2 face-up cards on the field: negate those targets' effects. / 3: Destroy all other monsters on the field. / 4: Banish this card until your opponent's End Phase. / 5: This card's ATK becomes 0 until your opponent's next End Phase. / 6: Gain 1000 LP. / 7: It is now the End Phase of this turn. / 8: You can excavate the top 3 cards of your Deck. Place the excavated cards on top of your Deck in any order. / 9: Banish all other cards on the field until the End Phase. / 10: Target up to 2 cards on the field; return those targets to the hand. / 11: Inflict 1000 damage to your opponent. / 12: Negate this card's effects while face-up on the field.


	11. A Small and Satisfied Smile

“Why is this so pressing?”

Rain and Rahlin had been walking for _ages_ , and while Rahlin appreciated the company, her arm and leg ached. She’d forgotten the difficulty of walking. Rain told her she had disappeared from Domino City for two weeks.

Her time in the other world felt like eons, and she felt she had aged the same amount. The distant chorus of car _beep_ s and engine rumbles must have been a dream. A handful of passersby stopped, stared, and whispered; she remembered her reputation in the City.

The KaibaCorp building, king of the skyline, towered blocks behind them now. They’d strayed towards the shore. A wave of nausea threatened Rahlin as she recalled her moment on the docks, when she dueled Serenity Wheeler.

While, yes, she _had_ saved those whose souls she reaped, she could run into them at any moment. Her sacrifice wasn’t public knowledge. As long as she remained in Domino, the people around her would be a constant reminder of who she truly was.

Yet the girl walking in front of her spun on her heel, grinned while walking backwards, and said, “You gotta try ice cream! It’s the least I could do for you!”

Like she hadn’t noticed the glares. The scorn.

_“I love you,”_ Rain had said.

Rahlin held up her flat hand to shadow her eye. Her focus skimmed the distant sky. Smokestacks disguised the red arm of a construction crane. Her lip jumped. Rahlin couldn’t stop herself from smiling.

“Whatcha looking at?” Rain asked.

“Nothing.”

She nudged Rahlin with an elbow. “C’mooon!”

A wave crashed over rocks, and rusting hulls groaned. Rahlin whispered, “I worked hard on becoming a good actor to keep secrets from Geh, but a certain someone saw through my act. I was reminded of him.”

“I, um.” Rain scratched beneath her hat. “I met some people who knew you, and they didn’t have the nicest things to say. So, so I made sure to tell them how great you are!”

“Who did you meet?”

Rain recounted dueling Kaiba and Joey, neither of which had kind words to spare for Rahlin. She attempted to explain why the duels ended in no contest results. Rahlin’s head spun as they approached a stand on wheels with a teal-and-seafoam striped awning.

“So he’s from the future, this Paradox guy,” Rahlin said.

“Yup.”

“And you’re from the future?”

“Yup.”

“But he’s from a further future, and you were at odds because you disagreed about the future he had seen?”

“Yup.”

“How could he be wrong about what he experienced?”

Rain’s head tilted. “Uhhh. Paradox got told why the future was all apocalypse-y, but that person was lying to him. He believed ‘em, though. He followed the orders of somebody trying to make his future worse… not that he knew it.”

An exhale whistled out of Rahlin’s nostrils. The story reminded her of Geh. She wondered about Rafael, Valon, and Alister. Okay, she may not have cared too much about Rafael and Valon, but Alister at least she worried about.

There was Mai, too. Rahlin expected her to be better off without having to put up with a “kid.” Considering how it ended with her duel against Joey, she expected the return of the souls to bring Mai back to her real friends.

Rahlin glanced up. Rain was staring at her, and sweat beaded on her forehead. Rahlin said, “What?”

“Y-you, uh, were really thinking about the things I said.”

“Woops.” She smiled a little and touched the bridge of her nose. “Mind’s a maze.”

A horribly awkward and loud laugh came from Rain. Rahlin gave her a look. Rain’s hands flew to cover her mouth. “S-sorry. Sorry, I, uhh…”

She wheeled around and said to the vendor, “Three soft serves please!”

“Three?” Rahlin said. “You’re sure I’ll like it _that_ much?”

Rain pushed a cone into her hand. Frosty air drifted off the curly waves of white. Rahlin blinked. From the name, she supposed she should have expected cream and ice to have been cold. She was expecting a drink, though. Whatever the stuff was, it came frozen solid.

The other two cones Rain pinched between her knuckles like ninja stars. She struggled to keep the ice cream up while also fiddling with the green gem on her bracelet. Tapping it brought up a holographic menu.

“What’s that?” Rahlin asked.

“I really shouldn’t. This is probably a bad idea. Er, this is the time machine that brought me here. I was gonna go back with you and see- um. The third ice cream cone isn’t for you.”

Her eye widened.

She knew exactly who Rain meant, but: “It’s dangerous, right? It could change things?”

“Yeah.”

Her voice was near silent and her pout clear.

Rahlin scanned the pair of cones Rain managed to keep steady. “Let’s go. Not for long, of course.”

“Of course!” Rain said, her eyes sparkling. “And, and it’s not like we’ll say anything important!”

“No way!”

“Hold onto me,” Rain said, “and we’ll go.”

A mix of giddiness and apprehension broiled in Rahlin’s gut as she leaned on her sister.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

“There are _two_ of you now?”

Glints of sunshine danced upon endless waves. Their glimmering waltz stretched from horizon to horizon. Three pairs of naked feet dangled over the sea. An occasional salty spray wet their shins. The two girls’ legs were pale as ghosts compared to his dark calves.

The oppressive sun enticed a drop of Rain’s ice cream to splotch white onto the island’s edge. Far behind them, a castle loomed, and the highest in society clustered around the base like babes at the teat. The trio faced the turquoise sea rather than civilization. Rain in particular refused to look away from his golden eyes and the way his too-long hair framed them.

Rain giggled at how he couldn’t stop glancing from one of their faces to the other. Rahlin smiled. The sea breeze bothered her stray locks, so she tucked one beneath her eyepatch band. “It’s confusing. You can just act like I’m not here.”

“You’re kidding!” Ranue threw his arms around their necks and dragged them closer. Rain grinned and leaned into it; Rahlin was more shocked than anything. “This is great news! Now there’s twice as much to love!”

A lump formed in Rain’s throat. She tried to swallow. Ended up bawling instead. Over her sobs, Ranue said, “What’d I do?”

“She’s just emotional,” Rahlin said, her voice strained. “I mean, we both love you too. A lot. I’m sorry.”

“For what? You shouldn’t apologize for- no, don’t be sorry! You have a _time machine_ and you use it to… visit me? Together? Stars above, you really do love me. You guys…”

Tears spilled from his misty eyes. Unable to look away from them both, Rahlin said, “D-don’t.”

“What?” Rain squeaked.

“Don’t.” Rahlin’s shoulders quivered. “Or I’ll-”

A stream of tears fell from her eye. Rahlin, Rain, and Ranue cried together in their sibling huddle. Sea-skimming gales buffeted them. For all the warmth between them, the cold didn’t bother them.

Their conversation was blubbering at first due to swollen throats and eyes. Rahlin wiped a knuckle beneath her nostrils. After a final sniffle, she said, “Rain’s engaged and hasn’t said a word about it.”

“You what?” he shouted. His mouth opened and closed. He whispered, “It’s not Dru, is it?”

“Nononono!” Rain squealed. “No, he’s the sweetest and most considerate person of all time! He even- he knows how much I like flowers. We live in a desert-ish place. He figured out how to make a greenhouse work there with sprinklers and everything. Now, I get to grow the flowers for my own bouquet! The sprouts are already perfect! Oh, I picked a certain kind of oleander to go into my braids and also the shade of blue is just perfect with my dress and it’s got a black middle did I tell you that? I love black so I found the most perfectest one and I think I just used the word perfect for like the third time and also I- I’m sorry. I’m babbling.”

Pink touched her cheeks. Her head lowered. At the same time, Rahlin and Ranue said, “Why’d you stop?”

Rain peeked up at them. Tears built in the corners of her eyes. Bawling, she tried to speak and failed. Ranue pulled her close and spoke over her shoulder. “What’s a regular day look like for you, Rahlin?”

Her eye focused on the horizon. “I don’t have a normal. Erm, it was a difficult situation for me. I’m... I’m actually excited to see my friend again. I was away for a long time.”

“Friend? Just one?” he ribbed.

“Just one,” she confirmed. “As for how life’s going, let’s say I’m on _unstable footing_ at the moment.”

Ranue stared at her cane. His swallow was hard. Before he spoke, Rahlin groaned. “It was a joke! Ugh. I’m _fine_. If I’m over it, I ask you join me here on the other side.”

He shook his head. “I- I’m sorry it happened, is all.”

“Me, too. If you ever meet a rich asshole, punch him for me.”

“I can do that!”

Rahlin laughed, and he beamed. She said, “I can’t tell you about my current life, but I’ll say I have big plans for the future. My highest priority is my dream. I want to be a scientist like you. I want to invent astounding inventions like yours.”

His golden eyes widened. “That’s not- they’re not at all! My duel disk design wasn’t even accepted as standard!”

She threw out her arm, and the Chaos duel disk materialized. “And yet remains the best.”

His smile shivered.

Their conversation moved onto hypotheses testing methods and small-scale engineering. Rain understood little but listened to all. Finally, Ranue said, “’Scientist’ is broad. Anything specific?”

Rahlin’s focus drifted up as she thought. “Broad is good. What I want to accomplish is the same.”

Rain’s inhales and exhales paused. A memory played out before her.

_“…an artist, a scientist, an engineer, an architect, and a technician – all to wit I am appropriately qualified.”_

Ranue chuckled and watched a cloud’s lazy trawl over the sun. “To tell the truth, I worried about your future a lot. To know it’s so bright and you both have each other’s backs – I’m so happy!”

Rahlin smiled but it dropped. “We have to leave soon.”

“Oh,” Ranue said.

In Rain’s mind, this moment had gone by as bittersweet smiles as they left. In reality, they all cried. Again. She couldn’t recall a moment in her life where she felt more part of a family.

He said he knew it was so far in the future, but he wished he could be at her wedding. It hurt too much. Rahlin said she’d never live up to his mind. He said he couldn’t wait for her to surpass him.

The air back in Domino City tasted more like gas than salt. Rahlin folded her hands over her cane. “Nothing seems too different.”

Rain said, “Right.”

“The ice cream was as good as you said.”

“Yeah.”

“You think about him a lot?” she asked. Rain’s nod was nigh imperceptible. “I do, too. It makes sense. He was one of the few good people we knew. I- when I was struggling on what decision to make, I wrote him a letter.”

“What about?”

Her smile struggled. “Just about being a spoiled princess. It’s funny-”

She threw her head back and watched a particular point in the sky. Rain wanted to ask what she kept looking at but also didn’t want to overstep. Rahlin said, “I was talking with a friend, one time, and he asked about what I wanted to invent. I told him a time machine… so I could ask my brother what the right thing to do was.”

Rahlin was laughing to herself but broke off when she noticed Rain staring with wide, wide eyes.

“Um. Was it something I said?”

“N-no!” She flashed a too-wide smile. “Nothing at all!”

Rahlin’s stare was too questioning, so Rain added: “Okay, fine! You just admitted it. You said you had a friend!”

Rahlin avoided eye contact and grasped her tie. Her hand dropped. She loosened the tie and tugged her collar away. “I may have made a big mistake. I think I’ve done something cruel.”

Rain balked. “Cruel how?”

“I thought I’d have more time, so I didn’t have a chance to say good-by. I… disappeared on him.”

“Ohhhh!” Rain’s smile finally became genuine. “You mean Ryo!”

“ _You met Ryo_?”

She’d never heard Rahlin’s voice reach such a high pitch. Rain’s fingertips pressed together as she said, “Yup! He’s super excited to see you again! I guess that makes two people I need to look for since I need to give back the Millennium Puzzle. Yugi said he’d be waiting in Domino Square.”

A sigh passed Rahlin’s lips. “That’s far.”

Rain tried not to look at her cane and failed. “I could go and bring him back. If you want to see him, I mean. Yugi said you were his friend. Well, the tall Yugi. The short one didn’t talk much. Oh. There’s, like, a tall one and-”

“The prince said that? About me?”

“He sure did,” Rain promised. “So? Can I tell them where you are?”

Her stare into the distance was blank. She closed her eye and nodded. Rahlin pointed to a park across the street.

“You’ll find me waiting under the apple tree.”

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Gears within the obelisk holding the Domino Square clock clicked and grinded. The _bong_ s marking the hour repeated four times total. Ryo stood beside Joey at the tower’s base.

Yugi sat beside them. The taps of his feet were constant. He would reach for his chest, but his hand would falter and fall. Yugi said, “She’s taking a while.”

“Bet she stole it,” Joey grumbled.

“There is no way to know for sure,” Ryo said, “but I believe everything will turn out just peachy! For one, I’m certain it takes longer than expected for Rahlin to travel from place to place. That must be what’s keeping them!”

“Yer a real ray of sunshine, eh,” Joey commented. “What’s got you so excited, anyway? Lookit, Yug! Bakura’s hopping like a rabbit!”

Ryo had been shifting his weight from foot to foot. He stopped, and pink dusted his cheeks. “Apologies.”

“It’s okay.” Yugi slouched, and his fist pressed into his cheek. “I hope you’re right-”

Yugi shot to his feet. Ryo followed his line of sight. The _click_ s of Mai Valentine’s heels bounced off the buildings enclosing the square. Her hair and hoop earrings bounced with her long gait. A figure behind her struggled to keep up with her speedy walk.

“You owe me a meal, hon,” Mai said to Yugi. “I found kid number two lost in the city trying to find you.”

Rain had doubled over and was drinking in deep breaths. “Sorry, sorry, I’m sorry…”

Metal jangled. She handed the Millennium Puzzle out balanced upon her fingertips. Yugi smiled and took his treasure back into his hands. A soft, yellow glow emanated from the item. He pulled the chain over his head; the Puzzle rested upon his chest.

Ryo tried and tried to stay quiet and polite as Yugi asked Rain about getting lost. Rain spoke on forgetting the directions. Running into Mai in front of the museum was a miracle and a half, she claimed.

Finally, Ryo blurted, “Excuse me, but, um, are you okay, Rain? Did you find Rahlin? I th-thought she might be here with you!”

The easy smile she showed eased the ache in his chest. “I should’ve told you sooner. There was a bit of trouble ‘cause someone who reeeally didn’t like Rahlin tried to keep her asleep. He couldn’t stop us. It was a long ways to get here, and she didn’t want to walk. She’s waiting at the park under the apple tree.”

Ryo’s throat tightened. He recalled the white queen and a black knight chess pieces clashing, the story woven by a skilled verbal seamstress, and the touch of someone he thought he might never see again.

A thorny intertwinement of nervousness and excitement stabbed his gut.

Blinding light flashed from the eye on Yugi’s Puzzle. The Other Yugi took his place. Ryo rubbed his eyes to be certain they weren’t playing tricks. The Millennium Items had ways of helping their hosts blend in by planting doubts in those around them.

A fact he unfortunately knew very well and fortunately would no longer need to worry over.

Other Yugi, nigh in hysterics, asked, “Rahlin is alive? Truly?”

“Truly!” Rain affirmed with a wide grin and the pressing together of her fingertips.

“The kid’s really back,” Mai murmured. “I’ll have to… I’ll swing by the apartment first. Grab some of her things.”

“What, yer just gonna go see her after she blew you off?” Joey said.

She knocked her knuckles lightly on his skull. “Use your brain! Sometimes, I swear. Kid number two explained about a thousand times how Rahlin got herself stuck. Have you heard Rain once?”

He crossed his arms and stuck his nose up. “Nawp. Where’s my Red-Eyes?”

Rain held the card out to him and couldn’t meet his eyes. “Sorry. It was really stupid of me letting it get taken like that.”

“Yeh!” He sniffed as he looked over the card. “Thanks for stealin’ it back, though.”

“And I knew I could trust you,” Other Yugi said. “Thank you for keeping my soul safe.”

Rain balked. “You, uhhh, heard all that?”

He gave a little chuckle and offered a thumbs-up. Rain buried her blushing face in her hands. “I- I think I get it. Rahlin has a hard time admitting it, but she’s pretty lonely. She doubted anyone thinking of her as a friend. She… she’ll be so happy you guys want to see her again.”

“Lonely?” Ryo shrieked.

“D-don’t tell her I told you! But yeah, she’ll be glad- hey!”

It was, quite frankly, unacceptable, so Ryo Bakura broke into a sprint towards Domino Park.

The adrenaline pumping with each pounding step had him fearing his heart may implode. He was all-too aware of a napkin scraping in his pocket. The note scrawled on it was written in a language he couldn’t possibly understand himself.

_“I”_

Because of that, she wouldn’t have wanted him to know what she wrote, surely? Would it be bad manners to acknowledge he knew what it said? Ryo sprinted by a statue of two graceful figures embracing one another in the dip of a tango. What if she appeared confused – had no idea what he spoke of? What if the message wasn’t meant for him?

_“love”_

He took the stairs down two at a time. Two weeks ago, in a quiet and anxious tone, she asked him to carry her down the flight. She’d held on tightly enough for her heartbeat to pound against his back. The sole of his shoe scraped against the corner of the bottom stair, and his shoulder slammed against the concrete. He instantly pushed to his feet and kept on. The apple tree was in sight, and the set of giant, plastic chess pieces stood as army ranks.

Sunlight dripping through swaying leaves landed upon silver hair.

_“you”_

Skidding to a stop at the park entrance, he questioned everything. Was it right to bother her? Rahlin’s black jacket, tie, and gloves lay beside her. The top button of her shirt was undone, and her white collar brushed her pale cheek. Would she want to see him at all? Her cane bearing the silver dragon lay across her lap. A ray of sunshine seeped through the apple tree and brightened her blue eye, which watched the sky beyond the branches.

_“Rahlin could never forget how much she loved you.”_

His legs trembled. He took a shaky step forward. He thought he might vomit. He took another step. He linked his own fingers together in attempt to disguise their quaking. His shoes whispered over the grass.

Offering the slightest of bows, he blurted, “H-hello!”

A sharp intake of breath marked her surprise. Rahlin stared, and he fought to hold it. He stumbled over his words as he said, “I apologize if you didn’t want to see me, or if you left because you wanted to be rid of me, or if-”

To his utter shock, she pushed up and balanced on her leg so she could throw her arms around his neck and pull him close. He wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her up. She whispered, “I’m so sorry I didn’t get to say good-by. I got too caught up in wishing I didn’t have to.”

He tried to say anything back. Fat tears welled in his eyes. He cried on her shoulder. Her hand crept up between his shoulder blades. He tried to say lots of things, like how he missed her quite a lot and never wanted to let go and loved her, too.

He just sobbed.

“It’ll be alright,” she whispered. “Take your time. I’m not going anywhere.”

He sniffled and fought with the tightness of his throat. “I- I-”

Her laugh was light and near silent. “You don’t have to say anything.”

“No, I, I never want you to be lonely!”

She tensed. “What?”

“You shouldn’t-” He choked on his words. “I apologize. I was told not to speak on it. Hearing it broke me to pieces. _I’m_ your friend, and I’ll stay by your side howsoever long you desire.”

Lip quivering, she said, “I’m n-not lonely.”

Soft exhales filled the silence.

“But,” she whispered. Rahlin untangled herself and landed back in place under the apple tree. Bearing a kind smile promising a brilliant future, Rahlin finished, “But that does sound perfect.”

He matched her smile but his trembled. She lifted a hand. Its movement stopped. She reached into the black coat laying beside her. Rahlin held Change of Heart out to Ryo.

“You were right – both the lesson that every person has two sides and that I would need the reminder,” she said. “It’s only fair that, after the reminder paid off, the card should return to its rightful owner.”

He lifted the spell card. Staring at the glittery, iridescent foil locked in place his decision: the truth. “You should keep it. There’s… something you left me that’s paid off, too.”

The raising of her eyebrows asked for her. He struggled and struggled to eke out, “I- because of how you vanished on me, I nearly thought you hadn’t existed at all. That went away when I visited the museum and they were able to translate what you wrote on the napkin the day of Mai and Joey’s duel.”

Her statuesque silence accelerated his heart rate. Rahlin reached forward, plucked Change of Heart out of his hand, and grasped his wrist. She turned over his hand and folded the fingers around the card.

Her breath was warm on his skin. She planted a soft kiss on his middle knuckle. Looking up caused her thick lashes to darken her eye to cobalt. In a whisper quiet as a divine breeze, she said, “Call us even.”

He could faint. Heavens, he could faint, and his woozy smile said as much.

“Yes?” was all he could squeak.

Her slant of a smile showed her uncontainable amusement.

“Rahlin!”

Other Yugi sprinted past the legions of huge chess pieces. She greeted him with a hearty laugh. “Oi, prince! The snake bastard couldn’t keep me down after all!”

He stared and stared.

“Fine,” she sighed. She tugged down the sleeve of her white button-up and extended her hand. Other Yugi accepted.

“I kept your secret,” he said.

She searched his eyes. “It’s killing you.”

“Yes. Gods, yes. I wouldn’t break an oath on my honor for your memory, but you have no idea the difficulty of hearing the slander they issue upon a knight’s name. A true knight; an honorable and dutiful knight. I couldn’t even tell my friends why I was in such pain.”

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I didn’t think it through. You don’t need to worry about it anymore – just so long as you tell your truth out of my earshot. It’ll drive me crazy to hear how you’ll lie and talk me up.”

“The truth from my perspective is not a lie.”

“What are you talking about?” Ryo asked.

“I’ll explain everything.” He glanced to Rahlin. “Later.”

The racing of Ryo’s mind was wiped away by the arrival of three newcomers. One said, “See? You won’t get lost with me around, kiddo.”

Rain, again gasping for breath, had arrived flanked by Mai and Joey. Mai hefted an oblong, black box. She left the other two and approached Rahlin. Mai thrust the object towards her, saying, “ _You_ owe me twenty songs.”

Sunshine glinted on the silver clasps as Rahlin freed them. She opened the case. Her eye closed but smile grew. She set aside the box and asked, “What have I done to earn such a debt?”

“The Irish good-by.” At Rahlin’s confusion, Mai said, “Sneaking away without telling anyone. The songs are one for each night Elegant yowled over missing you. Elegant’s my cat in case you forgot.”

“I didn’t forget.” Rahlin’s brows scrunched. “I was away fifteen days at most.”

“Twenty songs,” Mai repeated.

A corner of her mouth lifted as she reached into the box. Rahlin balanced a white violin across her palms. Casual as ever, Rain plopped down beside Rahlin. Rain asked, “Was it always white?”

She nodded. “A gift from Geh if you’d believe it.”

“He liked you?”

“As long as he thought I was doing what he asked, yes.”

“Oh! That reminds me!” She dropped her Decoy Dragon backpack. The item she fished for was large enough to leave her struggling to free it from the sack. She finally yanked out the cylinder and passed it along. “I brought this for you! Um, I left mine at home, but it’s meant to be a matching set.”

Sand black as the sky between the stars sprinkled through the skinny center of the hourglass. The dark wood framing the glass was blank except for a cursive phrase engraved above the sand.

“Worth every second,” Rahlin read aloud. Her expression softened. “This is a precious gift. Thank you.”

Rain beamed. “Now we have to take pictures!”

“Eh?”

She pulled a professional camera from the pack. “Yep! I need to take one of you and all your friends!”

“My what?”

“Your _friends_ ,” Mai said before Rain could speak. “Get dressed, kid. You’re a professional, right?”

She blinked at the items sitting beside her. Rahlin scrambled to throw on her coat, gloves, and tie. As per usual, the tie was eschewed. The sight earned a giggle from Ryo. He offered his palm. “I can help you up.”

Smiling, she draped her fingers over his. He pulled her to her feet and passed along her cane. Behind them, Joey and Rain fought over the camera. Joey said, “ _I’ll_ take the pic!”

“No! You gotta be in there!”

“Hell nah am I bein’ in the photoshoot!”

“Dude, you’re not getting anywhere treating a lady like that.” Tristan meandered to their spot in the park. Téa dashed ahead of him and ripped Joey away from Rain. “Looks like the whole gang’s together now! You had us worried there, Rahlin!”

She pointed at herself. Téa said, “Yes, you did! I just knew something was up with you, and the way the pharaoh wouldn’t talk about you only confirmed what I thought!”

Rahlin scanned her smug stature. “What was it you thought?”

“That you were totally a good guy!”

“I am no guy.”

“That’s _not_ what I-”

She stopped when she saw Rahlin giggling. Tristan belted out in a laugh. “She joked on Téa! She’s in!”

“Vetoed!” Joey said.

“C’mon, dude, let it go!”

“She’s an okay kid,” Mai added.

“It’s fine.” She folded her hands over her cane. “Letting bygones be is not always so simple.”

“But you _have_ … right?” Rain asked Rahlin, a note unnerved. She gave a simple nod in return.

Joey took the chance to snatch the camera from Rain. “Photo op time!”

Mai rolled her eyes. “Give up on him. Hand on a hip, ladies.”

All smiled except Rain, who was caught deep in thought on which hand and which hip. Rahlin noticed and freed her from her suffering by saying, “You don’t have to.”

Then, all smiles.

Rain squealed in delight when she saw the pictures. She snapped a last candid of Ryo and Rahlin then tacked one on of Joey standing relatively close to the group. He demanded she delete. She pretended to.

They spent a fair few hours under the apple tree with the gang regaling Rain and Rahlin with tales of tournaments, dark spirits, and Egyptian gods. At a certain point, Other Yugi slyly returned a set of dragon and knight cards to Rahlin. Rain begged to hear about Rahlin and Other Yugi’s duel despite her sister’s protests. Other Yugi’s description of Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon left her starry-eyed.

“If yer here, least ya could do is tell us about the future!” Joey said.

“I don’t think I’m supposed to,” Rain murmured.

“C’mon! One little thing?”

“Invest in motorcycles?”

“Future sounds awesome already,” Tristan said.

Rain’s smile was sheepish. “I have to go home soon, but I want today to last longer.”

Ryo glanced to the horizon. The wavering disc of the sun touched the edge of the world. “Oh. How about dinner together?”

Her despondent pout answered. Rahlin whispered something in her ear, and she perked up. “They have _what_?”

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

“There are _very_ important terms you need to understand. English is really complicated, so I keep a list,” Rain said.

A golden flare from the sunset lashed between skyscrapers and burned upon a pair of empty pie tins. A couple of blueberries stained the bottoms. Rahlin said, “Mhmm?”

“There’s this one they say: ‘what goes around, goes around.’ It means, like, when an action comes back to bite you!”

“I see.”

“And when someone says they’re ‘feeling under the feather,’ they mean they are suffering an allergic reaction related to poultry. At least I assume because they’re always sick when they say it.”

“Makes sense.”

“The opposite is saying you are ‘fit as a violin.’”

“Doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.”

“English is bad at that.”

“Agreed.”

“Thanks for this.” Rain tapped her tin. “Tastes just like Ranue made it. I’m determined to figure out how they made it so tasty.”

“Let me know when you do!”

Her smile fell. “I won’t be able to come back.”

“Sure,” Rahlin said, “but we’ll meet again, won’t we?”

Her lips spread into an all-out grin. “Absolutely. I’ll miss your friends, though. They seem fun!”

“I’ll tell you everything about them. Someday.”

“Someday,” Rain repeated. “I love you, Rahlin.”

“I love you, too, Rain.”

She hopped up from the bench, crossed to the other side, and pulled her into a hug. “G’bye.”

“See you again. Follow the wind.”

She sniffled. “Bahh! You always know the right thing to say! Um, and enjoy every second you fly.”

Rain backed away, spread her stance, and touched her bracelet. She fixed the holographic interface to return to her time. She looked to her sister. Rahlin executed a full-handed salute, which represented extreme gratitude and respect. With a shivering smile, Rain mimicked.

Rain slapped her hand over the bracelet, saying, “An ending defied.”

She coughed. The air of her new location was dry as uncooked rice. She fanned herself with her hat. A squeak above got her to look up at the swaying sign, which read, “Satisfaction Town.”

Like at Domino City, the sunset painted pastel pink, blood orange, and deep scarlet in a gradient towards the horizon. She approached the first house on the left. Rain offered a little wave to the burst of blossoms within the attached greenhouse.

A gentle knock on the door had two pairs of feet running. A young girl and boy threw open the front entrance. In unison, Nico and West shouted, “You’re back!”

They embraced her, and she laughed and hugged back. West said, “In time to make dinner!”

“Uh. Sure! Where is he?”

Nico rolled her eyes. “Talking to his imaginary friend in the kitchen.”

Rain dropped her hat on the table by the entrance, pet Stupid the cat, pet Cloud the dog, and headed down the hall. He was hunched over a chessboard. The tip of his tongue peeked out of his mouth.

She shouted, “ _I DID IT_!”

Kalin jumped. Blinked at her. Grinned, hopped up, and shouted, “ _YOU DID IT_!”

Rain leapt into his embrace. He started into a bazillion questions, which she was quick to answer. They were mostly easy, like the typical “are you okay” and “did you get hurt.” Paradox only kicked her once. Once!

“What about you?” she asked. “What were you up to while I was gone?”

“Handled the Paradox thing, then-” He pointed an accusatory finger at the chessboard, which was swarmed by black. “She’s been beating my ass!”

“Fun!”

“Not really!”

She smiled and interlaced her fingers with his. “Let’s sit outside some.”

On a ridge beneath the sky, they watched night’s approach like an all-consuming tide. The sprinkle of stars winked into sight one-by-one. Rain said, “I made a few friends. One said I’d make a good teacher. What do you think?”

“Shit, with that cool head of yours? You’d piss off kids when they’d try to break you. Sounds great.”

She giggled. “I had an idea.”

“Yeah?”

“So like, in all the movies, they let out doves at weddings.”

“Sounds like a hazard.”

“Wonder if we could do a bunch of blue butterflies instead.”

“That’s trademark infringement.”

Rain gasped. “I’ll be arrested?”

“…It was a joke. The butterflies are kinda Rahlin’s thing.”

“True.” She hugged her knees to her chest. “They’re pretty.”

“You, too.”

“Y-you can’t just say that!”

“Sue me.”

Her breath caught. “I forgot one last thing. Be back in a sec!”

His brow lifted. Rain dashed inside. West and Nico were preoccupied arguing about whether soup should be classified as food or drink. Rain tiptoed into the bedroom. Her closet used to hold a dove-white suit coat. In a castle suffocating the sky, who would be god had told her how to save Rahlin.

_“When all is said and done…”_

Rain retrieved a candle from the shelf above her clothes, placed it on the nightstand, and sparked a match. The warm source of light reminded her of torches far beneath the sea. She removed the green-studded bracelet and held the Orichalcos over the heat.

Silver dripped into the fire. A memory gnawed of thrones and violins.

_“So that you are not tempted by the minor and major regrets that are typical to human life…”_

She placed the softened bracelet on the floor. Rain breathed in deep and lifted her foot. Her muscles shook. This was the invention of the wisest mind to ever exist, and Rain’s only out if anything horrible were to again occur.

_“Destroy my greatest invention, Rain, such that you may live unchained. There are no cycles and this is the only timeline. Welcome to the brilliant future.”_

So she listened to the wisest mind to ever exist and shattered the time machine. She gathered up the pieces and dumped them into the trash. Rain exited beneath the stars and brought the camera with her.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

“What d’you think she’s after?” Kalin asked.

Rahlin watched the symphony of stars gallivanting across the heavens. A miniscule smile graced her face. “I have a good guess, but who can know for sure? I’ve heard the future is a mystery.”

“You’re hilarious,” he deadpanned.

She kept her eye on the stars. Her azure butterfly rounded her head, the tip of its wing brushing her ear. She tucked her hair back. The butterfly landed on her kneecap. A gust of wind sent a tumbleweed rolling over the silver landscape below their ridge. The butterfly held strong.

She thought on her encounter in the past. That final person, Z-ONE she could now recognize them as, had told her three very important words: _“In due time.”_ Z-ONE knew best. A comforting thought, considering…

Her smile broadened.

“What’re you so happy about?” he asked.

“What is this, an interrogation?”

“Hell yeah!” he said. “Tell me everything you know about Ryo.”

Her brows lifted. She leaned back on the heels of her hands. The movement caused two rings on a necklace beneath her shirt to clink. He didn’t need to know that. She offered a lazy smile. “In due time.”

“Fuck you.”

“Love you too.”

“Yeah, same,” he admitted.

Dust kicked up behind Rain as she sprinted towards them. She slid into a sitting position between Kalin and Rahlin. Rahlin was sort of surprised Rain didn’t run straight into her considering Rain couldn’t see her; she was a duel spirit attached to Kalin only.

“Looklooklooklook!” Rain said. She showed him the screen of a digital camera. Happy photographs of Rain, Rahlin, and her friends from Domino City scrolled by. Rain prattled on about Yugi, Mai, Joey, Ryo, and even Kaiba. At the Kaiba stories, Kalin said _he’d_ kick the CEO off the roof.

Rahlin burst out laughing. Against her better self, there _was_ a little bit of satisfaction in the mental image.

Rain continued on about her experiences with Paradox, the Spirit of the Ring, Zane, and Geh. Rahlin kept her eye on the butterfly. She thought more on Z-ONE. The time traveler had desired, more than anything, to see the butterfly effect – or, Chaos Theory – be realized. Z-ONE acted out every conceivable way to alter the course of the future. None panned out. The lack of proof on the butterfly effect sent Z-ONE spiraling into hopelessness.

The butterfly crawled onto Rahlin’s fingertip. She’d had times in her life when the days seemed to run together and she wondered the point of it all. Wake up. Go to work. Go home. Do whatever distracted her enough to reach tomorrow. Repeat.

Yet there was a moment that kept her going; there was a certain moment in her past that was her Butterfly Moment.

When her imprisoning crystal shattered and she fell into Rain and Geh’s duel, she’d heard Rain defending her. Rain called Rahlin a… hero. That moment had played on repeat in her mind for years and years.

Someone from the future, someone who understood her character, knew she was capable of good.

That scene, which she referred to as her Butterfly Moment, rippled her way of thinking from then onward. If she, of all people, was capable of being a hero, anyone was. Where she formally thought others as not to be trusted and out to take advantage of her, she managed a brighter outlook. She believed in the people around her, and it changed her world.

Rahlin wanted to stay. She liked staying in that world, and she loved the life she led.

“Hey.”

Her word was little more than a quiet exhale, but Kalin heard. He said, “What is it?”

“There are plenty of endings out there, y’know. The world could always be better. The people, too,” she murmured. She offered the sky a small and satisfied smile. “But… I like the one we’ve chosen.”


	12. Epilogue: Lucy [Good-by]

The Academy bearing gross red, sickly yellow, and infected pond-water blue domes towered over the boy. He scowled and adjusted his backpack straps. As much as he wanted to spin around and walk back into the thick of New Domino, he knew his parents would murder him if he missed the entrance exams.

He settled for spitting, "Disgusting. Seto Kaiba has no eye for beauty."

"I dunno," commented the girl beside him. "The Blue-Eyes White Dragons are pretty."

"For cardboard, _maybe_."

She rolled her eyes and started towards the largest dome. He followed a few feet behind. Around them, girls and boys excitedly babbled and showed off red, yellow, and blue jackets. For one, they spoke far too loudly, and for two, who would be excited about becoming a _Slifer red_?

"Don't walk so slowly," she scolded. "You'll be late! I've already finished my exam!"

"Your result?"

That all-too familiar smug grin was plastered on her face. "I won. Naturally. They haven't issued me a jacket, but the examiner placed me in Obelisk Blue!"

"Must be easy to get into the 'elite' if even you can." She stomped and glared. Within, a pang of fear at not making it into the same house as his best friend ate away. Not as if he'd ever show it. "How many examiners?"

"This late in the day? Probably only the main two left."

"Which are?"

The stadium doors whined on rusted hinges. The rows and rows of blue arena seating were nearly empty. As she claimed, two older duelists clashed with potential students, filling two of the total four duel fields.

"The Rosenthal twins! Cool, right?" she said. He offered no noticeable response. "Leo and Luna! They were famous Signers? Team 5D's members? Saviors of the whole wide world? Nothing?"

"Nothing," he repeated. He'd heard of the sparkly forearms, but they were pretty birthmarks full stop. A holographic explosion left the old pot-bellied man reeling. His life counter hit zero. "Almost my time."

"I'd lay low. You want Luna. Leo is- well, he's-"

The middle-aged man huffed and puffed. He removed his baseball cap and used the brim to scratch beneath his short, seafoam-colored hair. "Kids get all the luck! Ugh. Yeah, yeah, congrats or whatever. By the checklist, you got Ra Yellow, kiddo."

The girl started into a cheer, noticed Leo's deathly glare, and uttered quiet gratitude. The boy scoffed at the spectacle below. "He doesn't seem to be an inspiring teacher nor does he seem fit enough to fill a physical education position."

"No? Did you read his shirt?"

He squinted. The shirt said, "ALWAYS GO THE EXTRA MILE."

"I hate him."

She giggled. "You hate everyone! Oh. He saw you!"

"Ay, kid!" Leo shouted. "Come on down if you're here for the exam!"

"Told you to hiiide," she sang.

His walk down the bleachers rattled every row. He kept a thumb underneath a backpack strap as he approached the "PE" teacher. Leo pointed him towards a sign-in table. The man's disgusting breath wafted over him as he wrote his signature beside his printed name.

"Hold on. Gotta make a call." He tapped a device in his ear, muttered something under his breath, and tapped again. "You'll have to wait a bit for your examiner. Heh, hey, what's up with the hair? Not an old man in disguise are ya?"

Leo slapped his knee and loosed a guttural laugh. One of the boy's maroon eyes twitched. His burgundy hair, pulled back in a ponytail, had streaks of gray. His parents assured him his father was the same at his age. He was _not_ old like this washed-up failure.

"What's taking so long?"

A woman in a yellow blouse and pink pencil skirt addressed Leo. Her long hair matched his in color, and she wore a braid crown that kept any from falling in her face. It was… disturbing, seeing her petite features matching his crude ones. Even their myriad wrinkles seemed to mirror each other's. Leo said, "Eh, this is the one you-know-who wanted to test."

"Did she tell you why?"

"Nahhh. She's being silly about it. You know how she is sometimes."

Luna smiled. "Yeah. Sorry about your wait, sir! You can take a seat if you'd like. Oh, Leo, there are more! Remember: be professional!"

He grumbled but put on a big smile and waved anyway. They moved into new duels. The boy slouched in a front row seat. His friend joined him and asked, "Did they say you were too late? Did your name not get on the list?"

"No. They're giving me a different examiner who's not here yet."

"Weird. Leo and Luna were supposed to be the only two from the announcement they made earlier-"

The stadium's bottom entrance screeched open. A frail old woman slipped in and allowed the door to crash shut behind her. She had wrinkles on wrinkles on wrinkles. The boy spotted a criminal mark amidst them. Ha. The old hag must've regretted breaking the law seeing how that mark looked now.

She folded her hands as she shuffled into the arena, crossed the stage, and stopped before the pair. She adjusted her thick pink glasses. Smiling at the boy, she said, "You kept me waiting."

" _Me_? _You're_ the one who had to take the time to hobble here when there are two perfectly capable examiners right here!"

She laughed. He noticed his friend was mortified. The old bag said, "Field Three. Your friend there can stand with you if you'd like. Support is important, I've found."

The woman shuffled away. The instant she was out of earshot, his friend had a death grip on his upper arm. In a harsh whisper, she said, "You'd better watch your mouth! You're lucky you weren't kicked out on the spot for that!"

"Why?"

"That's the headmistress!"

"The what?"

"The principal! She's the principal, so you can't just say stuff like that to her!"

He scoffed and fished his duel disk from his backpack. Clicking his deck into the slot, he said, "I was merely stating facts. Why would the principal perform an examination? Seems like a waste of time."

"I dunno. It's strange. She wasn't here the rest of the day."

He entered the rectangle opposite the old hag. She wore the sort of custom model you'd expect an ancient duelist to have acquired over the course of their long, long life. Wouldn't make her any better. His best friend stood close by but a step in front of him to assure no coaching would occur.

As if he'd need any. He called, "Well? You have the seniority, so I assume you make the choice on going first."

Her smile was somehow infuriating. "You may choose."

"First it is!" In a flourish, he drew all six cards for his hand at once. She slowly drew one to five. "I summon Ally of Justice Core Destroyer, set a face-down, and end my turn!"

The old hag adjusted her glasses to get a better look at her drawn card. "Your name?"

"What?"

"What is your name? We're dueling, and you haven't properly introduced yourself. The vindictive way about you says you may know me, but I don't know you. Your name?"

He whipped his head to the side to adjust his ponytail. "I am Lucciano."

"I see," she said. "Good luck to you, Lucy."

"Lu- no! My name is _Lucciano_!"

She laughed like it was all some big joke. "I'll be summoning Dodger Dragon and attacking your Core Destroyer."

"Trap activate: DNA Transplant! I declare LIGHT Attribute, and all monsters become LIGHT. Ally of Justice Core Destroyer's effect now triggers. At the start of the Damage Step, any LIGHT monster battling it is instantly destroyed! That's what you get for disrespecting my name!"

The machine on spindly, golden legs fired a beam from its scorpion-like tail. Her curling, Chinese dragon shattered into a million shards. A purple dragon formed from the remains. A misty mane surged from its head and neck. Its scales and wingjoints ended in sharp points. The new monster had 2200 attack to Core Destroyer's 1200.

"Where did that come from?"

"Because a monster of mine was destroyed by battle or card effect," she explained, "I can special summon from my hand Interplanetarypurplythorny Dragon."

"… _What_?"

"Ohh, I know you kids have small brains. I'll speak more slowly: Interplanetary-"

"I heard you the first time!" he snapped. It was a real card name. Good God. What was he getting himself into?

"I move to Main Phase 2, set a face-down, and pass my turn to you."

On the sidelines, his best friend was starry-eyed. Not for him, though. Typical. She murmured, "Wow. The dragons!"

Whatever that meant. "To begin, I activate the Continuous Spell Machina Armored Unit. I'll be summoning Ally of Justice Garadholg in attack position. Now for the Battle Phase! Core Destroyer targets Interplanetarywhathaveyou for attack!"

A celestial sculpture appeared above the monster. Core Destroyer butted heads with the dragon, and its pricks left dents in Core Destroyer. His monster lost the battle. His life points dropped to 3000. He yelled, "Excuse me? Why didn't it work?"

"My Continuous Trap, Dimension Guardian, equips to Interplanetarypurplythorny Dragon and prevents destruction by battle or card effects. Since the effect didn't destroy, the attack went through, and 2200 defeats 1200," she explained.

He hated that her trap worked and he hated more that she insisted on saying the dragon's disastrous name at every opportunity. "Since my Machine-type was destroyed, I use Machina Armored Unit's effect. I can special summon a different DARK Machine with less attack. I'm bringing out Ally of Justice Cycle Reader in defense position. Before I end my turn, I set a face-down."

"Ally of Justice," the old hag said. "What do these cards mean to you?"

His parents were upstanding officers for Sector Security, which he hoped to follow. Issuing justice and being its ally were vital to society. Apparently, this downtrodden academy was the first step in the journey. He would never allow his opponent such internal information, however, so he said: "There is no meaning."

That enraging smile appeared once more. "Lying is unbecoming of you. Every one of my cards holds the highest importance – though I admit some outweigh others. I'll show you one I have a well of love for. First, I use Trade-In to discard a level 8 monster and draw two. I'll next summon Decoy Dragon and activate Destrudo the Lost Dragon's Frission from my hand. At the cost of half my life points, Destrudo is special summoned."

High-pitched ringing indicated the drop of her LP from 4000 to 2000. "I target a monster of mine, and his level decreases by that monster's. Destrudo is now level 5 like Interplanetarypurplythorny Dragon, and Destrudo is a tuner."

She just had to say the name _again_. Lucciano's eye twitched. "Half your life points for a simple tuner. I thought you were meant to be experienced!"

How in the nine circles of hell did her smile never go away? She said, "The requirements of two equal-leveled monsters, a tuner and non-tuner level 5 or higher, are met. Pillars of sacred flame consume my two dragons. From my Extra Deck, I special summon Ultimaya Tzolkin!"

Shimmering curtains like the night sky separated to introduce a blazing dragon with supernova eyes. The heat radiating from the monster made it almost seem real. His friend whispered, "No way. Nowaynoway! There's only, like, one of those cards in existence! It really is her!"

"Do I look like I care? I refuse to be intimidated by an old hag."

She rolled her eyes. Again. "At least think the card is awesome! Industrial Illusions created Ultimaya Tzolkin as a memorial to the Crimson Dragon himself. He existed in the same world as us once upon a time. Can you believe it? A god working together with people like us?"

"A god?" Lucciano snorted. "It's _cardboard_."

"You suck the fun out of everything," she muttered. "I think it'd be amazing – to be a Signer, to be chosen by a god!"

"It means they were lucky like lottery winners who squander their winnings and are killed by jealous family members, which, statistically speaking, is more likely. The more admirable are those who make a name and fortune for themselves without some god telling them they can."

"Okay, edgelord," she murmured.

The old hag across the way said, "I place a face-down in my backline. This triggers Ultimaya Tzolkin's effect. I may special summon any level 7 or 8 Dragon-type Synchro from my Extra Deck. I choose Black Brutdrago."

A dark, bulky dragon with armored gauntlets and greaves crashed beneath the heavenly flare of Ultimaya Tzolkin. Its 3000 attack made his machines look puny. She said, "Black Brutdrago battles Ally of Justice Garadholg! _Summoner's Hellblaze_!"

Molten rock dripped from the monster's cauldron-like armor. Flaming sludge exploded from its body and landed on Garadholg. Its ability boosted its attack to 1800 since it battled a LIGHT monster, lessening the blow. Lucciano's LP fell to 1800.

"Machina Armored Unit procs, special summoning Ally of Justice Unknown Crusher from my deck!"

A mechanized mammoth charged beside his Cycle Reader. The old hag beamed like a fool. "Turn end."

When he drew, he realized the arena was silent. Leo and Luna Rosenthal had stopped in the middle of their duels to watch Ultimaya Tzolkin. The pot-bellied PE teacher had the gall to remove his hat and hold it against his chest like the dolt was at a funeral. Oddly enough, the monsters the pair had on the field – Ancient Pixie Dragon and Life Stream Dragon – seemed to also watch Tzolkin.

Lucciano harrumphed. The thing was a hologram representing a trading card – one with zero attack and defense no less. "I'll show you a real Synchro! I summon Ally of Justice Quarantine! Level 3 tuner Cycle Reader aligns with Unknown Crusher and Quarantine for a level 10 Synchro Summon! Crush your opposition, Ally of Justice Decisive Armor!"

A massive tank with three cannons hovered onto the field. A multitude of searchlights embedded in the armor dashed along the ceiling and floor. The flashy gold captured all the crimson from Ultimaya Tzolkin's glow. With 3300 attack, nothing on her field stood a chance.

"Unlike your 'god,' my righteousness isn't some fairytale! Decisive Armor's effect activates since you control a LIGHT monster! I choose to destroy your Set card! _Reign of Justice_!"

"Which I will now activate," she said. "Dust Tornado destroys DNA Transplant. You no longer receive benefits from me controlling LIGHT monsters."

"Then I chain Psychic Shockwave since you activated a trap! I can discard a spell or trap to special summon a level 6 DARK Machine-type monster from my deck, like Ally of Justice Clausolas!"

A mechanical vulture with wickedly sharp talons soared through the tornado tearing apart his DNA Transplant. Lucciano said, "Using that card was as good as folding. Now, I'll be able to decimate your Synchro and eliminate your unprotected 'god!'"

The _smile_. He hated her. So much. "Not exactly. Dust Tornado has a second effect. If I have a spell or trap in my hand, I can set it once your monster is destroyed. Remember what happens when I set a card? Ultimaya Tzolkin now calls upon Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"

A dragon with packed ice for scales click-clacked beneath Ultimaya Tzolkin's flight. This one had 2500 attack. So much for the plan of showing their 'god' what for. He said, "Doesn't matter – I still win this turn. Hard to believe the supposed principal made a simple mistake. You're just a blind old bat! Ally of Justice Decisive Armor attacks Decoy Dragon! _The Searing Truth_!"

All searchlights landed on the teensy, pale blue dragon. The thing had the nerve to blush from the attention as Decisive Armor's cannons loaded up their blinding light lasers. Their blast was so large, Lucciano could no longer see Decoy Dragon.

The lasers diverted from their intended target. A trio of black tornados whipped up, and a dragon with torn wings flew among them. Decisive Armor's blast ripped apart the new monster rather than Decoy Dragon, and the old hag's life points only dropped to 1400.

To his awestruck expression, the old bat said, "As the name might suggest, Decoy Dragon is just that – a decoy. When targeted for attack, I can special summon a level 7 or higher Dragon-type from the grave and change the target to it. Trade-In put Darkstorm Dragon there."

His eye twitched. At 2300, his other monster couldn't beat the attack of any others except Decoy. That would result in Darkstorm being summoned again, and its attack was 2700. His teeth grit. The old woman was _laughing_ at him. "Oh, Lucy, you almost had me!"

"Shut up," he hissed. "This isn't over! And my name is Lucciano! I set a card and end my turn!"

"My draw," she stated. "I set this to trigger Ultimaya Tzolkin, and this turn, I choose Void Ogre Dragon."

A blood-red dragon studded with rubies joined her other 3 Synchros, and her board of monsters was filled. Black miasma drifted up from the dragon's dark aura. Void Ogre sported 3000 attack and defense.

Lucciano sniffed. "Nothing to touch Decisive Armor!"

He was starting to think that smile was permanent. She was lunatic, perhaps. "I use the trap set last turn – Synchro Big Tornado. I target a Synchro of mine and monster of yours. Your monster loses attack equal to my Synchro's defense. Void Ogre Dragon and Ally of Justice Decisive Armor are my targets."

A raging windstorm pelted and marred his gorgeous cannon, dropping its power all the way to 300. His jaw slacked. She said, "Battle Phase. Void Ogre Dragon attacks Decisive Armor with _Infernity Chaos Burst_!"

A beam the bleak maroon of bloody murder galloped towards his weakened Ally. He smirked and threw out his hand. "So you thought! I use the Storming Mirror Force trap! All attack position monsters in your possession are returned to the hand, meaning your army of Synchros all return to your Extra Deck!"

"Hmm," she hummed.

" _That's_ all you have to say?"

"No."

She snapped her fingers. Void Ogre Dragon blinked behind Decisive Armor and smashed Storming Mirror Force. The dragon spun around and slashed apart the opposing Synchro. Lucciano's LP dropped to zero, and the deadpan chirp echoed throughout the stadium.

"So long as I have an empty hand, Void Ogre can negate a spell or trap of yours once a turn."

She held up her hands. The gnarly fingers reminded him of knotty tree branches. He blinked. Blinked again. "That's- you- I _lost_?"

Her laughter was whooping. Slow movements returned her cards to the deck and deactivated her fancy duel disk. She said, "You've got to be the worst duelist I've ever seen!"

" _What_?" He ground his teeth before roaring, "You yourself admitted I nearly defeated you! That's it. I'll make you regret this!"

"Maybe don't threaten the principal," his friend commented.

"You think it matters? I lost! That means I don't get in!"

"Obelisk Blue," the old hag said.

"Excuse me?" Lucciano asked.

"You aren't deaf," she said. "Feel free to drop by whenever you want, Lucy. Don't be a stranger!"

"It's Lucciano," he said automatically, but it lacked the vitriol. His mind raced with the five "W" questions on repeat. Her comment about being the worst duelist rung through his head. He chased after the shuffling old bat. "Hey! What sort of academic insults their students?"

"If one were to ask, I might argue that individual students are inspired by individual methods."

He refused to admit that, yes, he was driven more than ever to defeat the old hag and prove her wrong. A giggle beside him said his best friend knew the truth. She better not say it, though. The old woman said, "You must be Eurea."

The girl bowed. "Y-yes. It's an honor to meet you! And to have seen Ultimaya Tzolkin in action no less!"

Her awe irked him. She was just some old bag. Lucciano crossed his arms and asked, " _Your_ name?"

"Hmm? Oh. He doesn't even know!" She feigned an aching heart. "The name is Rain Kessler."

He shook his index finger at her. "This isn't over, Kessler!"

"Naturally," was all she said.

His eye twitched. It made her _laugh_.

Old hag. No matter how long it took, he _would_ prove her wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of the whole series... not sure if I'll post much of anything after this :) thank you so much if you've made it this far!!


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